Shagande maindo
by Darkest Nightmare's Dread
Summary: A Pokémon fanfic that's been in the back of my mind lately. (Third Genre: Supernatural) Some nudity in chapter 5.
1. Science Can Attract The Girls?

**I promised some people that I would make a Pokémon fanfic, and now, that promise is fulfilled. Behold! The first chapter of a mighty fanfic. Please enjoy, and as always, feel free to leave reviews telling me what I did right, or what I need to improve.**

**I'm starting in the Kalos region, but I plan on having the majority of the story in the Kanto Region, and I plan on using Gen VI mechanics so I can include Mega Evolutions.**

**Chapter 1: Science _Can _Attract Girls?**

"…" talking/Psychic conversation in flashback

_(…) thoughts/flashbacks_

_[…] Private psychic link_

[…] Private psychic link during flashback

"[…]" Pokémon speaking

_"…" Psychic conversation_

Ash and his friends Serena, Bonnie, Clemont, and his new ninja friend/teacher Sanpei were taking a break from training. "There's nothing like a good nap when taking a break from training," Sanpei said.

"You said it," Ash replied.

"I agree," Clemont added. "Taking a rest while training can help a trainer think of techniques to teach to their students, and helps the students reflect on the techniques they've already learned."

"So, would this work with my Fennekin?" Serena asked.

"It should," Sanpei replied. "I think it would work with any Pokémon."

"Hey, Sanpei. Do you have any siblings back at your village?" Bonnie asked.

"Yep. My oldest brother, Ippei, has a Greninja, the evolved forme of Frogadier," Sanpei replied. "Nihei is younger than Ippei, but older than me. His ninja partner is a Venusaur. My younger brother has some Pokémon that looks like some kind of a blue and red space alien."

"Space alien? Can you describe it?" Ash asked.

"I doubt you'd recognize it," Sanpei replied. "No one at my village knows what it is, nor does it seem to make any noise when it's about to unleash an attack." He reached into his bag, and pulled out a piece of paper with something drawn on it. "Still, if you think you know what it is, this should help."

Ash looked at the paper, and was stunned by what he saw: A Pokémon about 4 ft. tall, with two rectangular projections coming out of its red-colored head. It appeared to have a light blue face, with two humanlike eyes, and while its body was red (except for the jewel in its chest), its humanlike arms, hands included, were blue and red, and its legs, while lacking human feet, were also red and blue. Immediately, Ash remembered where he'd seen it: fighting the Sky High Pokémon: Rayquaza. "I've seen this Pokémon before," Ash said. "It's Deoxys!"

Sanpei was stunned. "Isn't that a super-powerful Pokémon?" he asked.

Ash nodded. "It's extremely strong, able to take on unbelievably strong Pokémon and survive," he said.

Sanpei nodded, and thought back to when Ippei had fought against Deoxys.

_Flashback_

_Ippei stared at his opponent. Clad in black clothes, the figure stared back, everything from the nose down was covered in the black clothing, except for his hands. His red eyes stared coldly at Ippei, his brown hair pulled back from his forehead by a black headband, the clothing lending him a menacing, formidable appearance._

_"Go, Greninja!" Ippei cried, his Ninja Pokémon echoing him in shouting its name._

_His opponent chuckled. _"You really think that a mere tadpole can defeat me?" _He asked telepathically. _"Very well. I will be pleased to bring you down. Champion from the stars, arise."

_Immediately, a blue and red alien-like Pokémon (later identified by Ash as Deoxys) came out of its Pokéball. Ippei was shocked. He'd never seen this Pokémon before. He didn't even know what type it was. He noticed that Greninja was shivering visibly, meaning that whatever this opponent was, it was strong._

_"Greninja, use Night Slash!" Ippei shouted. Greninja's claws grew in size, turning purplish-black, and the Ninja Pokémon launched itself at the opposing Pokémon._

_The opposing trainer gave no reply, but the alien ducked the Night Slash, and slugged the unfortunate Greninja in the stomach with an electrified fist._

(No way! That was a close-range ThunderPunch. This could be over quick,)_ Sanpei thought. Greninja slid all the way to Ippei on its back. Suddenly, before the judge could declare a winner, Greninja struggled to its feet, covered with a bluish glow. _(That's Torrent activating,) _Sanpei thought in surprise._

_After recovering from his own surprise, Ippei spoke. "Greninja, use Hydro Cannon." With a mighty shout, Greninja shot a massive blast of water from its mouth at the alien. The alien stared impassively at the jet of water._

"Jīngshen Tíshēng,"_ his opponent calmly replied in Chinese. The alien put its hands together, and brought them apart, creating a multicolored sphere and throwing it at the Hydro Cannon. The energy sphere plowed through the Hydro Cannon without losing any speed, barely missing Greninja by a hair. Having expended the last of its energy in creating and firing the Hydro Cannon, Ippei's Greninja collapsed to the ground with spirals in place of its eyes._

_"Greninja is unable to battle! The alien is the winner!" The judge pronounced._

_Stunned, Ippei ran forward. "Greninja, are you okay?"_

_"Gre…ninja, Gren," Greninja weakly replied._

_Ippei smiled at his Pokémon. "You did well, Greninja. You deserve a good rest." He withdrew Greninja into its Pokéball._

"Foolishness, Ippei. Foolishness," _his opponent coldly pronounced after withdrawing his own Pokémon into its Pokéball. _"You may be the elder, but I am the strongest. You would be wise to remember that."

_Ippei growled in frustration as he watched the retreating figure's back. "Next time, I won't lose!" he yelled._

"There will be no 'next time'," _the figure replied coldly. _"You have no hope of matching the power of my Pokémon."

_End flashback_

"Your brother must be extremely powerful to be able to have captured it," Ash said, shocking Sanpei out of his flashback.

Sanpei nodded. "My brother is unbelievably strong," He replied. "He's mastered in months what would take a normal Ninja Master years to learn. He has nothing against completely crushing his opponents in one move."

"He sounds really cold and mean," Bonnie said.

"He definitely is," Sanpei replied. "Of that, there is no doubt. He can give you bad chills just by staring at you. It's like standing next to a Regice."

Ash shivered, having stood next to a Regice in the past, and having gone close to the upper reaches of the atmosphere without a spacesuit once. After a few minutes, Ash heard something soft whispering through the trees. "What is that?" he asked as the sound came closer.

"I hear it too," Bonnie said, sitting up. "It sounds like pretty music."

"It's an ocarina," Serena stated. "I've heard that tune before on Super Smash Bros. Brawl. It's the Ocarina of Time Remix."

"One of my favorite tunes," Sanpei said, Ash and Clemont nodding their heads in agreement, "and also the favorite tune of my sister."

"Your sister?" Ash asked. "You never mentioned her."

Sanpei chuckled nervously, scratching the back of his head in embarrassment. "I guess that in all the excitement of talking about my strongest brother, I forgot to mention her," he said. "Don't worry. She's very nice, and gentle."

"Yeah well, nice and gentle don't exactly get you da big bucks," an amplified voice replied. To Sanpei's surprise (and everyone else's annoyance), a large Meowth-like robot landed heavily in front of them, causing the ground to shake a little.

"Not you guys again!" Ash yelled in frustration.

Our favorite 3 villains (well, they're my favorites in the Pokémon TV series, at least) ignored Ash, and continued with what they do best: The Rocket Motto:

"Prepare for trouble, you know what to do.

And make it double. Now we're ninjas, too!

To protect the world from devastation

To unite all peoples within our nation

To denounce the evils of Truth and Love

To extend our reach to the stars above!

Jessie!

And James!

Meowth's da name!

Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light!

Surrender now, or prepare for a cool ninja fight!

Meowth! That's right!

WOOOOOBUFFET!"

"Who's Team Rocket?" Sanpei asked.

"They're really mean people who try to take other people's Pokémon," Bonnie said.

Her Dedenne (small orange Electric type rodent. Has red cheek sacs like Pikachu) added, "[They're so totally not awesome!]" even though no one could understand it.

Before anyone could launch an attack, a young female voice rang out, saying, "Latias, use Hyper Beam!"

Out of thin air, a red and white Latias appeared, and shot an orange beam out of its mouth, hitting the ninja robot in the chest, causing it to explode. Team Rocket flew through the air. "Oh, great! For once we had a decent theme to use, and you blew it!" Jessie yelled.

"Me?! You blew it, not me!" James yelled back.

"Well, I'm still blamin' dat Latias," Meowth muttered.

"WE'RE BLASTING OFF AGAIN," Team Rocket yelled, fading out of sight.

Ash laughed in triumph, and looked at the Latias. "Wait," he said. "I remember you. You're the friend of Bianca who helped me save Alto Mare."

_"I'm glad you remembered," _Latias said telepathically, giving Ash a friendly hug.

"Well, well. Looks like my Latias likes you, Ash," A female voice said from within the trees. Ash looked up, but didn't see anyone. "Are you blind?" the girl asked. "You're staring right at me!"

"I don't see you," Ash said. He looked to Sanpei. "Do you?"

Sanpei shook his head. "I do not," he replied honestly. "My sister is very good at stealth, even on flat terrain with no trees."

Latias flew up toward the tree's branches, and a figure jumped out, landing on Latias' back. "She's definitely a keeper," Bonnie noted.

"What does she mean?" Sanpei asked Clemont, curious.

"Well you see, Bonnie's always trying to find a girlfriend for me," Clemont started.

"And he needs one, too," Bonnie sent back. "Life's not all about machines, ya know."

"Oh, I don't know," the mysterious girl replied, jumping off Latias' back and landing on her feet. "I like guys who can make machines, even if the machines don't always work." Ash looked at the girl. Her green and brown ninja robes hid almost every inch of her skin except her eyes, which were brown, like Sanpei's.

"Then you're perfect!" Bonnie cried aloud. "I can't always take care of my big brother, so I have to find him a good wife, and you're the best one I've seen."

Sanpei winced. "Here's where she finds out my sister can be easily offended at times," he said.

As if on cue, the ninja girl slapped Bonnie hard across the face, leaving a bright red mark. "OW! WHAT WAS THAT FOR?!" Bonnie yelled. "I WAS GIVING YOU A COMPLIMENT!"

The ninja girl glared. "You think I'm going to just fall for a guy just because a fake ninja tells me to?" she spat out venomously, causing Bonnie to wince. "I don't open my legs for every guy I'm told about. I would have to get to know the guy first before even considering anything remotely related to marriage."

Clemont walked between the two of them, causing Sanpei to wince again in anticipation. "Look. I'm sorry for what my sister said," Clement said. He shivered when the female ninja focused her glare on him. Despite being the same size as Clemont, the girl had an air of power around her that Clement thought only Elite Four members and Champions could have. She raised a fist, and looked at it, as if she were contemplating whether or not to hit Clemont with it. Despite not being particularly courageous (no offense to those who love Clemont), Clemont refused to move, wanting to protect his sister.

To everyone's surprise, the ninja girl lowered her fist. "Why are you apologizing?" she asked, curious. "Your sister said it, not you. In my village, where my brothers live, each person is responsible for what they say and do, and blame for a misspoken word falls on the person who said it."

Clemont nodded. "I understand," he said. "Out here, with just me, my friends, and my little sister, I am responsible for what Bonnie says and does. I have to look after her and make sure she stays out of trouble."

"I understand," the ninja girl replied. "My name is Suisōgaku, because the only songs I play are those that will lightly float on the breeze. I think I might travel with you and your friends, Ash, if it is okay."

"Always happy to have a new friend to walk with," Ash replied, extending his hand. After staring at it for a moment, Suisōgaku nodded, and shook Ash's hand.

_"Yay! Now I get to travel with my old friend, and a bunch of new ones!" _Latias yelled happily.

**_And so, as we say farewell to Sanpei and his Frogadier, we also say farewell to Ash and his friends, and their new friends: Sanpei's sister _****_Suisōgaku_****_ and her Latias. Who knows what Ash may find on his trek through the Kalos Region as the journey continues?_**

(A/N As with the Pokémon TV series, I will end my chapters like this, and with a side bit at the end that will prove relevant in the future.)

"Darkrai, use Dark Void!" Doctor Colress cried. Darkrai groaned and cried out, trying to resist its controller's orders. It soon gave in, its normally blue eyes glowing red. It charged up a black blob in its hands and threw it at the figure. "Don't bother to run," Colress said arrogantly. "There's no way you can outrun that attack."

_"Now why would I want to do _that_?" _the black-clad figure asked telepathically. He held up his left hand, and the black blob fizzled and dissipated when it came in contact with the psychic shield.

Colress was stunned. "Impossible," he said. "There's no way a Psychic could be powerful enough to deflect a Dark move." He immediately regretted saying that as the figure loosed a chilling psychic chuckle.

_"I assure you, fool, I am completely human, but the difference between you and me is the difference between a Joltik and a Wailord. I am far stronger than you. It would be wise for you to give up."_

"Never!" Colress replied. "I control one of the most powerful Pokémon that has ever lived."

_"So do I,"_ the figure replied. He tossed a Pokéball into the air, and a familiar alien Pokémon jumped out. Colress was stunned, recognizing the Pokémon immediately. Before he could say anything, the Pokémon used a massive Hyper Beam to destroy the control generator. The figure threw an odd Pokéball at Darkrai, which enveloped the Pitch-Black Pokémon in a red light that retreated into the ball. Immediately, the ball gave off a soft ding that indicated a successful capture. _"Foolishness, Colress. Foolishness. Now, run crying back to your masters,"_ the figure said as he walked away slowly, leaving Colress with a ruined machine, no Pokémon, and no way to contact anyone so he could get home.

**The End.**

**If it looked fun writing this chapter, I have to say, it was twice as fun as it looked. Yes, the figure with the Deoxys told Deoxys to use Psycho Boost (Deoxys' signature move) in Chinese, and yes, that's a Psychic type move that would have no effect on Greninja, a Water/Dark type, but my OC didn't care about type. He knew that Greninja would exhaust itself with that Hyper Beam. Now, what is the name of my OC?**

**Tsuyoi Kokoro (Strong Mind)**

**Aishīhāto (Icy Heart)**

**Shinpi-tekina Tsuyo-sa (Mysterious Strength)**

**So, what is my OC's name? Also, did anyone catch the Devil May Cry reference I snuck in there?**


	2. A Meeting Of The Minds

**I'm quite glad that you all enjoyed the first chapter of this fanfic. I put a lot of effort into it, turning it from a gelatinous mass of words within my brain into a real fanfic. It's never easy, but it can be quite enjoyable when you write about a subject that you love, and when others love it, too. Thus, it's time that I acknowledged the reviewers.**

**SuperHeroTimeFan: Thank you for being the first reviewer. I appreciated the support.**

**Princess Kawaii Shion: Thank you, once again, for dealing with my [slightly] insane ranting and for supporting me by reading the DocXs I sent to you. Thank you.**

**silverivy13: You helped me out a lot with the creation of this story, and with coming up with the name of my male ninja OC, whose name I shall reveal.**

**Wild Colors: I'm glad you found my story interesting. Ash and his friends will encounter interesting situations. That is a guarantee.**

**latinoheat151: I'm glad you liked the chapter. Sorry, but that's not my male ninja OC's name, but you were close.**

**Guest reviewer Daniel: Sorry. My male Ninja OC might be cold, but that's not his name. I'm glad you liked the fanfic, and I hope that you continue to read the proceeding chapters when they're uploaded.**

**My male ninja OC is named Tsuyoi Kokoro, Japanese for "Strong Mind", an appropriate name considering he was able to deflect a Dark Void with his mind, which isn't an easy thing to do. His known Pokémon are Deoxys and Darkrai, but he has others, which will be soon shown. Since the show doesn't usually keep track of how long it takes Ash to get from town to town, I will use timing as I see fit. Now, the journey continues!**

**Chapter 2: A Meeting Of The Minds**

"…" talking/Psychic conversation in flashback

_(…) thoughts/flashbacks_

_[…] Private psychic link_

[…] Private psychic link during flashback

"[…]" Pokémon speaking

_"…" Psychic conversation_

**_Last time, our hero Ash and his friends Bonnie, Clemont, and Serena ran into a Pokémon Ninja named Sanpei. After briefly training with him and his Frogadier, the evolved forme of Froakie, they soon discovered that Sanpei's younger brother is the strongest trainer there, possessing the extraterrestrial Legendary Pokémon Deoxys, a figure from Ash's time in the Hoenn Region. After defeating Team Rocket with the help of Sanpei's sister, Suisōgaku, they said goodbye to Sanpei, gaining Suisōgaku as a new traveling friend. Now, as our heroes take a break from walking next to a river, Bonnie has some questions for Suisōgaku._**

"Hey, Suisōgaku. What's it like in your village?" Bonnie asked, nervously trying to make conversation with the ninja she'd accidentally offended a few days prior.

"It's a nice, open-space kind of area," Suisōgaku replied, sitting under a tree. "There are chores to do, such as sweeping out one's house, helping gather food from nearby bushes, stuff like that, but there's also a lot of time for relaxing and training, whether it's training Pokémon or training yourself, or others, in the ninja arts. There's always people going off on training journeys, and people returning from them. There is also a lot of Pokémon trainers there. Everyone who is old enough has at least one Pokémon."

"Like your brother having that scary-sounding Pokémon," Bonnie replied. She shivered slightly. "I really don't like aliens. I kinda like Latias, though. She's not an alien. Is she?"

_"I should hope not,"_ Latias replied telepathically. _"I was born on this planet, and I can't imagine living anywhere else. I don't like Deoxys, either. He's so cold, and I have a hard time understanding what he's trying to say sometimes!"_

"[Sounds like you don't get along with him too well,]" Dedenne replied.

"[You two are probably rivals, right?]" Serena's Fennekin asked.

_"Oh, we're definitely rivals,"_ Latias replied. _"He's incredibly strong, too. He's a tough guy to beat."_

"[I don't doubt you,]" Pikachu replied. "[I'd be scared to run into that guy.]"

_"Then consider yourself scared, Pikachu, for you have run into me,"_ a cold telepathic voice said from the trees.

Ash jumped when he heard the voice. He looked around, but saw no one. "Who are you, and where are you?" he asked. He saw something stirring in the trees. "There! Froakie, use your Frubbles!" Nodding, Froakie pulled some of its sticky Frubbles off of the clump naturally wrapped around its neck, and threw the Frubbles in the direction of the voice. Suddenly, the Frubbles glowed as if they were trapped by a Psychic attack, and flew back at Froakie, who was hit with every Frubbles it had thrown, the Frubbles temporarily sticking it in place. "Hey! What was that for?!" Ash yelled at the trees.

_"Are you always this rude to those you do not know?"_ the figure asked coldly. Ash grunted in discomfort as he felt himself lifted by the same Psychic that had deflected Froakie's Frubbles.

"You leave him alone!" Serena yelled, concerned for Ash's safety.

"Brother, stop!" Suisōgaku yelled. The figure ignored her, and kept Ash trapped in the Psychic.

"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!" Ash yelled.

"Pika pika CCCCHHHHHUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!" Pikachu yelled as it unleashed one of its best known moves.

_"Pitiful,"_ the voice said. Pikachu's Thunderbolt looped back toward the Mouse Pokémon who had fired it. Pikachu saw this, and tried desperately to dodge the attack, which appeared to hit its target, causing a lot of dust to come up from the mini-explosion. After the dust settled, Pikachu was revealed to be unharmed. _"I've fought Magikarp more powerful than you, rodent,"_ the figure telepathically said as he stepped into view.

Ash jumped, released from the Psychic. The figure looked exactly like Sanpei's description of his brother with the Deoxys. "Who are you, and why did you attack us?" he demanded.

_"You assume I am obligated to answer whatever dumb question you ask,"_ The figure replied, annoying everyone who heard, _"but I suppose I _might_ answer a few questions. You interrupted my sleep with your loud talking, Ash."_

"So, you're telepathic," Ash noted. "That would explain how you trapped me with a Psychic attack. Still, who are you?"

_"My name … I will only reveal it after a Pokémon battle,"_ the figure replied. _"One-on-one. My strongest against yours."_

"Okay! I'm always up for a Pokémon battle," Ash replied enthusiastically.

"Ash should be careful," Suisōgaku whispered to Clemont. "My brother is extremely powerful, as my brother Sanpei has told you, no doubt."

Clemont nodded. "I managed to make a small machine to equip with my glasses that allows me to get a good feel of how strong someone and their Pokémon are, and that guy is _extremely_ powerful, and any one of his Pokémon could probably take on the Elite Four easily."

Suisōgaku nodded, blushing silently, and turned away from Clemont so he wouldn't see her blush. Despite her attempts to not like the blonde Gym Leader turned scientist (she had tried for 20 minutes before accepting that the attempt was no use), she just couldn't bring herself to dislike him. He was everything she imagined her ideal guy to be: young and around her age, a bit of a nerd (she found most male nerds to be relatively shy and nervous around girls, not like the loud, boisterous ones who tried to make every girl they saw their girlfriend), he knew how to conduct himself in a Pokémon battle, and she loved his glasses. _(Am I falling in love with Bonnie's brother?)_ She thought to herself, her blush deepening a shade or two. _(Well, if I _am_, Clemont seems like a trustworthy guy who won't do anything bad.)_

Bonnie noticed Suisōgaku's blush but said nothing, giggling softly instead. _(Looks like she's falling for him,)_ she thought with a smile on her face. _(She might be the best one yet that I've seen. Hope she stays with us for a while. She and brother are _bound _to get closer!)_

**-Pokémon Battle-**

"The match between Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town and the unnamed ninja from the Ninja Village will now begin," Clemont yelled. "Each trainer may use only one Pokémon, and the winner will be decided when one of the Pokémon is unable to battle. Battle, begin!"

"Pikachu, let's go!" Ash yelled.

Pikachu ran forward, sparks flying. "[Let's do this,]" he said.

_"Still relying on the rodent,"_ the figure muttered. _"Have you none who are stronger?"_

"Nope," Ash said. "Pikachu is my buddy, and one of the strongest Pokémon I've ever had."

_"Very well,"_ the figure replied in a bored tone. _"Champion of the stars, arise."_ He threw his Pokéball into the air, and a familiar red-and-blue Pokémon came out of it.

"It's Deoxys!" Ash exclaimed.

_"You are correct. Still certain that you wish to fight me?"_ the figure asked arrogantly.

"Oh, we're fighting, all right," Ash yelled, going into serious mode. "Pikachu, use Quick Attack!"

Pikachu started dashing across the battlefield at high speeds, but the figure looked unimpressed, if his eyes were any indication. _"Jīngshen Tíshēng,"_ he said in a bored tone.

Ash didn't understand what the figure had said, but realized too late what attack Normal Forme Deoxys was charging up between its humanlike hands: the multicolored orb known as Psycho Boost. "Dodge it," he yelled. Deoxys silently threw the orb. Pikachu used Quick Attack and dodged the attack. To Ash's and Pikachu's astonishment, the multicolored orb changed direction to follow Pikachu. Desperately, Pikachu juked left and right in an attempt to throw the orb off, but it kept following. Pikachu stopped for a moment to try and catch his breath, and the orb, having caught up with him, exploded as soon as it hit, throwing Pikachu forward a few feet. With a determined growl, Pikachu stood on its feet.

Clemont was astonished. _(Incredible. No Pokémon should've been able to take a hit like that and stand up again,)_ he thought. _(Man, I'm lucky my power-measuring glasses device didn't shatter. The power level on that move was over nine thousand!)_ (A/N I couldn't resist sneaking in a reference to the most famous Dragonball line known.)

_"Impressive. Your Pikachu has a stronger will than I initially anticipated,"_ the figure remarked, impressed. _"Still, it will do you no good."_

"Oh, yeah? Pikachu, use Thunder!" Ash yelled, knowing his faithful partner was still able to battle. With a mighty cry, Pikachu shot a massive electrical bolt at Deoxys. Deoxys waited for the Thunder to hit, caught it with its left hand, and shot the Thunder out of its right hand, hitting Pikachu with its own attack (based off of the technique of redirecting lightning from Avatar: The Last Airbender). Ash stared at the Deoxys, stunned at what had just happened. Pikachu was thrown back by the force of the attack, sliding a fair amount of feet on his back. Once again, he struggled to his feet, but he collapsed, his eyes replaced with swirls.

"Pikachu is unable to battle! Deoxys is the winner, which means the winner of this match is the Ninja!" Clemont yelled. He walked to where Bonnie and Suisōgaku were as Serena ran over to Ash.

"You okay, buddy?" Ash asked.

"[I'll be fine, buddy. Man, that battle was a real shocker,]" Pikachu quipped despite the fact that Ash couldn't get the joke.

_"I will admit that your Pikachu is quite strong. It managed to be able to continue battling after getting hit by a devastating attack that usually destroys my opponents,"_ the figure said, surprising Ash.

"You did great," Serena said, giving Ash and Pikachu a hug.

_"I would not say that,"_ the figure replied coldly. _"I have seen stronger Magikarp."_

Serena glared at the figure, and walked over to him, looking very mad. "That's it! I have HAD it with your arrogant, self-absorbed attitude, you jerk," she snapped, surprising almost everyone. "Pikachu fought bravely against your Pokémon. Give him some credit for effort!"

The figure stared, his eyes appearing to be slightly amused. _"Points for effort mean nothing,"_ he replied, turning away from Serena. _"Either you win or you lose. That is all there is to it. Ash lost, and I won. What other purpose is there for battling? I am already close with my Pokémon. They hear my voice without me even speaking a word."_ He started walking away, and paused. _"My name is Tsuyoi Kokoro, for my mind is strong, as you no doubt have noticed."_

"Okay, Tsuyoi. Next time we meet, let's battle again," Ash said enthusiastically.

Tsuyoi paused in his steps. _"We will certainly cross paths again, in the land where your journey began, where you lost one of your dearest friends,"_ he said gravely. He teleported away, leaving behind a stunned Ash.

"That guy was very rude!" Serena huffed angrily.

"I guess I should've warned you," Suisōgaku said softly. "My brother, Tsuyoi, has grown arrogant because of his power, and never hesitates to demonstrate his 'superiority'. I'm sorry, Ash. I should've told you what you were getting yourself into. Pikachu might not have been so badly injured."

"Hey, it's okay," Ash said, shaken by what Tsuyoi had said. "Pikachu's taken some pretty hard hits, but he's always gotten back on his feet after a visit to a Pokémon Center."

Serena took out her PokéDex, and looked for a nearby Pokémon center. "Great news," she said. "There's a Pokémon Center nearby on our way to Cyllage City. Let's head there so we can get Pikachu healed."

As Ash and his friends walked to the Pokémon Center, Suisōgaku looked over at Ash. "What did my brother mean by 'where you lost one of your dearest friends'?"

Ash stopped in his tracks, looked at the ground, and said, "It went something like this…"

_Flashback_

_"Night-walker, use Psycho Boost on Sabrina!" A person wearing a familiar black suit yelled to a black-colored Deoxys, who immediately followed his master's orders. He created a Psycho Boost orb, and threw it at Sabrina, whose Pokémon he had subdued only moments prior._

"No," _a grey-skinned Pokémon replied as he took the hit from the Psycho Boost._ "You will not harm her." _He winced in pain and grabbed his right arm, which was bleeding badly. _"I promised her parents that I would protect her!"

_"Your promise means nothing, Mewtwo," the man continued. "You're obsolete, and it's time I eliminated all obsolete experiments. Still, don't feel bad. You're falling to the clone of one of the most powerful Pokémon ever known: Deoxys."_

_Mewtwo glared at Giovanni. _"I don't care if I'm obsolete," _he said. _"I made a promise to protect this human, a promise that I intend to keep."

_"Very well," Giovanni replied. "Night-walker, use Hyper Boost." The dark Deoxys created the Psycho Boost orb between its hands, infused it with the power of Hyper Beam, and threw the unstable orb at Mewtwo._

"If this is how I go down, then so be it,"_ Mewtwo said in a resigned tone. He looked back at the terrified Sabrina. _"I'm sorry, Sabrina, but I guarded you as best as I could." _He looked at the oncoming attack, and charged up a blue orb between his two bloodied hands. _"Aura Sphere!" _He loudly shouted, throwing the orb into the Hyper Boost orb. The two orbs exploded on contact, causing a wave of energy. Mewtwo used the last of his energy to create a massive Psychic shield to protect himself and Sabrina. Night-walker did the same, protecting itself and Giovanni. After a few minutes, the dust settled, revealing a mortally wounded Mewtwo and a very badly wounded Night-walker. If it hadn't gone Defense Forme, it would've also been mortally injured._

_"You fought well, Mewtwo," Giovanni admitted as he recalled Night-walker to its specially designed Pokéball. "Next time, I won't lose. Oh, who am I kidding? There won't even _be _a next time for you." Mewtwo looked up at Giovanni, and charged a Shadow Ball between his hands. Nervous, the head of Team Rocket fled the scene. With a smile on his face, Mewtwo collapsed, the Shadow Ball dissipating._

_Sabrina ran up to him. _"You're dying, aren't you, Mewtwo?"_ The Psychic-type Gym Leader asked telepathically._

"Yeah. Looks like it's the end of the road for me," _Mewtwo replied, smiling slightly at the realization that he'd used a human phrase. _"I'm sorry, Sabrina. I guarded you as best as I could."

"You helped buy me some time,"_ Sabrina said._ "Giovanni is dead set on taking over the Kanto Region with his Deoxys clone, starting with this city, and you've managed to badly injure that clone. It'll take time for it to heal. Right now, you should rest in peace. If anyone's earned it, it's you."

_Mewtwo nodded, feeling his strength fading. _"I'll do what I can from the other side to find a new guardian for you,"_ he promised as his eyes closed, and he breathed his last._

_End flashback_

"And that was around this time yesterday," Ash said. "I think Mew was nearby, unable to battle that Deoxys thing, and essentially taped the whole thing so that I would know something was wrong."

Suisōgaku winced, as did Clemont, Latias, Serena, Pikachu, and Bonnie, who'd been listening in. "So, what do you think you should do?" Serena asked.

"I think he should go pulverize that big meanie who killed Mewtwo," Bonnie said before anyone else could respond.

Ash nodded. "Looks like I'll have to put off gaining those Kalos badges for a while," he said. "I'm heading back home to the Kanto Region." He looked at his friends. "Want to come along?"

"A-re you sure?" Suisōgaku stuttered in surprise.

"Have you thought everything out?" Clemont asked. "Do you think we _should _come along?"

"Of course I'm sure," Ash replied. "I'll see if I can contact Alexa at the next Pokémon Center. We'll head back to the airport where I first arrived in the Kalos Region. This Deoxys thing sounds tough, and there's no way that I can take that thing on alone. Tsuyoi said he was heading to the Kanto Region, but I'm not sure if he'd be able to win against the Deoxys clone. He might need our help."

"I doubt he'd accept it at first," Suisōgaku replied, "but my brother, as arrogant as he is, knows when he needs help to take on an enemy. We just might be able to convince him to at least travel with us to wherever this Sabrina is. It would help if we suggested that the Deoxys clone could present a challenge. My brother is always eager to fight challengers. It's a surprise that he isn't a Gym Leader, Elite Four member, or Champion already." She managed to hide her nervousness. She'd never gone on an airplane before, and had a touch of claustrophobia.

"The nearest Pokémon Center is actually back in Santalune City," Serena said, interrupting Suisōgaku's thoughts.

"Then to Santalune City we go!" Ash said. Suddenly, there was a rustling in the bushes. Something, or someone, was out there. "Who's there?" Ash asked, somewhat nervous. If it was a wild Pokémon, he couldn't battle it for too long. Pikachu had just been through a tough battle, and Froakie and Fletchling both were tough, but couldn't fight a powerful enemy for too long.

_"Easy there, child,"_ a telepathic voice replied reassuringly. _"I am not here to harm you."_

_"Mister Foodin _(A/N Foodin is Japanese for Alakazam)_!" _Latias exclaimed happily. _"I was wondering when I would see you again."_

With a warm telepathic chuckle, an old-looking Alakazam walked out of the bushes. _"Good to see you again, young Latias. I am sorry to hear of the passing of your brother, but I assure you, he earned his rest."_ The Psychic Pokémon turned toward Ash. _"You're in a bit of a hurry,"_ he remarked. He raised a yellow hand, palm outward. _"Show me what you saw."_

Ash nodded, and placed his hand on Foodin's. The two closed their eyes as Ash showed Foodin what had happened. The replay of the event only lasted a few minutes. After a few minutes, Ash pulled his hand away. Foodin nodded gravely, pondering what he'd just seen. _"I can't teleport you to the city that your friend Sabrina is in, but I _can _teleport you to the town where the airport is. You will find a photographer friend of yours there who wishes to see the Kanto Region, and she will be happy to travel with you."_

"Thank you, Foodin," Ash said. "By the way, do you have something that can help Pikachu? He's been through a tough battle.

Foodin nodded, and a Full Restore appeared in his hand. _"A gift from a friend, to use as I see fit,"_ he said. He sprayed the Full Restore on Pikachu's wounds, healing them. _"There is still some medicine left in this Full Restore,"_ Foodin said, handing the Full Restore to Ash. _"Keep it, so that you may use it when you need it most."_

Ash nodded. "Thank you again, for what you've done to help us," he said.

Foodin nodded, and teleported Ash and his friends to Lumiose City. "Whoa! Where'd you come from?" a surprised voice asked.

"Viola?" Ash asked as he turned around.

"Of course it's me," Viola replied with a smile. "You thought I was my older sister?" she joked. "Who's your friend? Why is she dressed like that?"

"My name is Suisōgaku," Suisōgaku said, introducing herself to the blonde Gym Leader of Santalune City. "I dress this way because, well, I'm used to looking like this, being a ninja."

"Well, you might be able to remain stealthy in that outfit out on the road, but around here, all it does is make you stick out, Suisōgaku," Viola said honestly. "Come with me a moment. We need to get you a new outfit. It's on me." She gently but insistently pulled Suisōgaku to a nearby clothing store, where the two girls quickly disappeared.

"Hope they don't take too long," Clemont said. "The plane headed for the Kanto Region will leave in 40 minutes."

**-10 minutes later-**

Ash looked at the time. They would have to board the plane within a few minutes. _(Hope they come out soon, cuz we better be leaving soon,)_ he thought.

"All done," Viola said, interrupting his thoughts. Ash and the others looked up, and they were surprised by what they saw.

"Lookin' good, Suisōgaku," Serena remarked with a smile on her face.

"Y-you think s-so?" Suisōgaku stuttered nervously. She looked nervous in her green sleeveless shirt, blue pants, and black shoes. Her red hair was well-combed, and the clothing she wore did a good job of showing off some of her curves while remaining very decent.

"Of course," Clemont said, earning a blush from Suisōgaku.

"I like your hair," Bonnie said. "It looks a lot better now that it isn't covered up."

"Th-thanks," Suisōgaku stuttered.

"Well, we'd better be getting on that airplane," Viola said. Ash and his friends nodded in agreement, and boarded the plane. Ash sat next to Serena, and Bonnie sat in the seat next to Viola. Suisōgaku took a window seat so that she could see the sky, and Clemont sat next to her.

Thirty minutes later, a flight waitress walked into the passenger area, and said to the people, "Good morning, passengers of Flight C140, on a non-stop flight to the Kanto Region. We will be taking off shortly. Please make sure all luggage has been stowed away in the luggage compartments above your seats, and please be patient as the pilot and copilot run through some final system checks before we get airborne."

In the cockpit, the pilot and copilot ran through their final series of system checks. "Looks like all systems are functional," the copilot said.

"Then what are we doing on the ground? Let's get airborne," the pilot replied. In the passenger area, the 'Please Fasten Your Seat-belts' sign began flashing, and the passengers quickly fastened their seatbelts. The airplane slowly began taxying down the tarmac, making a slow turn onto the straightaway.

"Flight C140, this is the Flight Control tower. You are good to go. Happy flying. May the wind be under your wings, and may the weather be calm the whole way."

"Copy that, Flight Control," the pilot said. He drove the plane forward, gathering speed. He pulled back on the steering wheel, causing the plane to lift off with plenty of tarmac to spare.

Suisōgaku shook nervously as they lifted off, something that Clemont noticed. "You scared?" he asked, concerned.

"A l-little. I've never flown in a plane before," Suisōgaku replied nervously. "I'm j-just nervous." She blushed deeply, looked away from Clemont, and then looked back at him. "W-would i-it be o-okay if I h-h-held y-your h-hand?" she asked, stuttering profusely.

"O-of course," Clemont said nervously. Suisōgaku gently Clemont's hand in hers. Clemont was surprised at how Suisōgaku had callouses forming on her hands, likely from training and climbing trees.

"S-sorry if I'm m-making you feel uncomfortable," Suisōgaku apologized, looking like she was getting tired. "I'm a b-bit claustrophobic."

"That's okay," Clemont replied softly. "This is the first time a girl other than my sister or my mother has held my hand."

Suisōgaku smiled sleepily. "First … time I've held a guy's … hand other than my brothers…." She yawned, leaned against Clemont, and fell asleep. Clemont wanted to move her off his shoulder, but he didn't want to wake her up either. He looked at her. She still had a slight blush on her face, and her skin was quite pale. He liked that her shirt hid any cleavage she could have. Clemont didn't like girls who showed a lot of cleavage, and while he would've preferred it if Suisōgaku had a bit of a tan, he didn't mind her pale skin at all. After a while, he felt himself getting sleepy. He leaned against Suisōgaku, and closed his eyes.

Across the aisle, Bonnie giggled softly as she watched her brother fall asleep and lean on Suisōgaku, which Viola noticed. "You wanted them to sit beside one another, didn't you?" she asked quietly.

Bonnie nodded. "Mmm-hmm. I figured that since they were already close together, having them sit next to each other would help them get even closer."

Viola nodded, knowing that Bonnie was trying to find a girl to look after Clemont. "Did you also know that Suisōgaku was claustrophobic?" she asked.

"Nope," Bonnie replied, "but it looks like that clawtro phobia-thing, whatever it is, helped get them closer together."

"That's 'claustrophobia," Viola corrected, chuckling softly. "It's the fear of enclosed spaces. I'm not a fan of them, myself, but I've been on planes before, and I assume that Suisōgaku's taken rides on Latias' back, before." She stretched her arms. "I think I'll catch some sleep before we land," she said.

"Good night," Bonnie said, looking tired, herself. The two blonde girls soon fell asleep. Ash and Serena had fallen asleep shortly after takeoff, but Pikachu and Dedenne were awake in the back area designed for Pokémon that preferred to stay outside their Pokéballs, along with Latias, Bunnelby, Fennekin and Sylveon, another one of Suisōgaku's Pokémon.

Pikachu had been watching what was happening in the passenger area, and went back to the other Pokémon. "[Our trainers are asleep,]" the Mouse Pokémon said to the others.

"[Is Ash leaning against Serena? I hope he's not trying anything,]" Fennekin replied.

"[Ash isn't the devious kind of human. He's too honest, and unfortunately, clueless when it comes to hints being sent by the female portion of his species,]" Pikachu replied, sweat-dropping at the last statement. "[Though it looks more like your trainer is the one leaning on mine.]"

"[I just want to be sure that your trainer is being nice to mine,]" Fennekin replied honestly, shrugging her shoulders. "[She takes care of me, so I have to help take care of her.]"

"[I agree,]" Froakie said, jumping into the conversation (no pun intended). "[We have to help take care of our trainers.]"

"[Especially my trainer,]" Sylveon replied. "[She hides it well, but she's terrified by the thought of going to another region. It took her a lot of courage to leave the Ninja Village.]"

"[I've noticed that, too,]" Bunnelby replied. "[I think she's in love with my trainer.]"

Dedenne laughed out loud at that. "[A ninja girl like Suisōgaku in love with a nerd like Clemont?! Oh, man, that'll be hilarious!]" He said, rolling around while laughing uncontrollably.

Sylveon glared, and used Tackle on Dedenne. "[That's not nice!]" She yelled.

"[I was only joking,]" Dedenne muttered.

"[It wasn't funny,]" Pikachu said, playing the part of peacekeeper as he walked between the two, "[and I don't think our trainers would like it if we fought. Sylveon's trainer is stressed out enough without us fighting amongst ourselves.]"

Dedenne nodded. "[Sorry,]" he said, extending his tail for a handshake (of sorts). "[I was just trying to be funny.]"

Sylveon used one of the ribbon-like feelers on her head to shake Dedenne's tail. "[Just don't quit your day job,]" she remarked sarcastically, causing all the Pokémon, including Dedenne, to laugh. Sylveon yawned, and stretched. "[I think I'll get some sleep,]" she said. "[Good night.]"

"[Good night,]" the other Pokémon replied as they too drifted off to sleep.

Sitting on top of the plane, Tsuyoi watched the world flying by below him. _(And so it begins….)_

**_And so we say a good night to Ash and his friends as they journey to Ash's homeland: the Kanto Region. Will they be able to help Sabrina? What will happen between Suisōgaku and Clemont? All these questions, and more, will be answered as the Journey continues!_**

_"Where am I?"_ Mewtwo asked, looking around. He could see nothing but clouds for miles around, and he couldn't sense anyone near or far away from him. _"What happened? The last thing that I remember … was promising Sabrina I'd help find her a guardian."_

"And now you are given an opportunity to do so," an angel said, appearing in front of Mewtwo. "Please follow me. I will take you to the Archangel."

Mewtwo nodded. "I will follow," he said. The angel nodded, and flew away in a particular direction over the clouds. Mewtwo followed, catching up to the angel. Within a few minutes, the two spirits came upon what appeared to be a small tower made of clouds.

"This is where the Archangel Michael resides," the angel said. "Come. He has already sensed our arrival."

As Mewtwo entered the tower, he immediately bowed in respect to its sole occupant. "Please do not bow," the Archangel said kindly. "The only being who deserves that respect is God alone, and he has showered his favor upon you, Mewtwo," he said as Mewtwo stood up, looking at the white-haired Archangel. "He sent Ash to you so that you could learn the true potential of a human heart, and Sabrina so that you could learn what a friend was. Now, you died in defending Sabrina against a very ruthless enemy, but now you have a second chance. You won't able to return to life, but you _will_ be able to return to the world of the living, where you will find and tutor a new guardian for Sabrina." He grabbed a small cloud from the tower wall and flattened it. The cloud turned into a map, a map of the entire Pokémon world. "Find your new Guardian," Michael said, "and take all the time you need. Time is slowed in my tower. An hour in here is a second in the world of the living."

Mewtwo looked at the map, examining each region carefully. After 6 hours in the tower, he made his choice, and pointed at a plane heading from the Kalos Region to the Kanto Region. "I chose that person to be the new Guardian."

**_To Be Continued_**

**PHEW! I thought I was going to lose a finger typing this chapter. Has to be one of the longest pieces I've done outside of English class, which contrary to popular belief isn't that bad. Seriously. It isn't. All you have to do is put in the effort, and the results will astound you. I sincerely hope that you enjoyed this chapter. I certainly enjoyed writing it. As always, please read and review.**

**Guess who the Guardian will be?**


	3. Love, Spirits, and disaster averted

**Well, it's about time I uploaded the third chapter of this fanfic. Sorry if I'm taking too long, but it takes a lot of time to think out and type out these chapters. Still, it's all worth the effort when I've got the support of good fans like those who were so kind as to take time out of their day to review the latest chapter of my fanfic. I will now acknowledge them:**

**SuperHeroTimeFan: Tsuyoi will continue to be Ash's rival, that's for certain. As for what else happens, well, that remains to be seen.**

**silverivy13: I'm glad you liked the battle. I had to make sure to add some details to make sure the battle was how I envisioned it.**

**latinoheat151: Mewtwo didn't choose either Ash or Suisōgaku. I'll see if I can work in some drama between the couples, but I don't want to make too much drama between them. It would take away from the greater drama that is yet to come. Don't worry about the romance, either. There'll be romance and drama in the air, in more ways than one. (Bu dum CHH!) Sorry. Couldn't resist the pun. Also, there's going to be a third pairing, but what it is, I will not tell, but let's just say it has something to do with a Psychic Ninja and a Psychic Gym Leader (hint, hint).**

**Princess Kawaii Shion: I'm sad about killing my favorite Pokémon, but it had to be done.**

**Guest Reviewer Daniel: Mewtwo is dead in the body, but his spirit, which can't be killed because spirits are immortal, is very much alive.**

**Wild Colors: LOL. Tsuyoi will indeed meet his match, but whether or not she will defeat him, that remains to be seen.**

**There will be religious events in this chapter (i.e. going to a church, praying, talking to priests). If any of that offends you, I understand. There will also be some good, old-fashioned fluff going on in this chapter. I have a feeling that silverivy13 will enjoy that. Now, The Journey Continues!**

**Chapter 3: ****Agápi****̱****, oinopnev****̱****mat****ó****̱****di****̱**** pot****á****, kai ap****é****trepse ti****̱****n katastrof****í****̱**** (Love, Spirits, and disaster averted)**

"…" talking/Psychic conversation in flashback

_(…) thoughts/flashbacks_

_[…] Private psychic link_

[…] Private psychic link during flashback

"[…]" Pokémon speaking

_"…" Psychic conversation_

"{…}" Spirits speaking

("…") Mind-space conversation (unless otherwise indicated, it will most likely be between Mewtwo and the Guardian)

**_Last time, our hero Ash faced off against the renowned younger brother of Sanpei: Tsuyoi Kokoro, who quickly defeated Ash in a one-on-on Pokémon battle that earned the title Legendary. As he left, Tsuyoi hinted that he would meet Ash in the Kanto Region, where the Legendary Pokémon Mewtwo lost his life in a successful attempt to save Sabrina, and Saffron City through her, from Giovanni, the leader of Team Rocket. In Heaven, Mewtwo chose the new guardian, and now pursues him. Now, Ash, his friends, and Viola, the Santalune City Gym Leader, along with Tsuyoi, are on their way to the Kanto Region, and it would appear that there might be some romance blooming in the air. As the plane nears the Kanto Region, the passengers are just beginning to wake up._**

Suisōgaku yawned slightly as she began to wake up, and winced at an annoying sensation in her back. Something was digging into her back. She shifted gently, and moved the offending object to where she could see it. It was Sylveon's Pokéball. _(Hope she's doing okay back there,)_ the female ninja thought nervously. She felt something on her left cheek, and turned to try and see what it was. She was surprised to see Clemont's face right in front of hers. _(He must've shifted in his sleep,) _Suisōgaku thought. Suddenly, she noticed something else: Clemont's lips were touching hers, causing her face to turn a brighter red than a Magmar's forehead (and for those who haven't seen a Magmar's forehead, it's very red). _(Is this what kissing is?)_ Suisōgaku wondered, her heart pounding within her chest as she woke up, surprised she was able to even think at all.

Barely a moment later, Clemont opened his eyes, and jumped back in his seat with surprise. "Whoa! How did that happen?" he asked, keeping his voice low so he wouldn't wake anyone up.

"Well, I woke up and felt something on my cheek, and was trying to figure out what it was when my head turned," Suisōgaku replied, her face still red. "I'm s-sorry if I m-made you uncomfortable."

"It's okay," Clemont said, chuckling nervously. "I just didn't expect to wake up getting a kiss."

Suisōgaku blushed a little more, causing Clemont to get a bit worried. "Are you okay, Suisōgaku?" he asked. "Your face is awfully red."

"Oh, that's just a blush, sweetie," one of the flight waitresses replied, walking down the aisle after a bathroom break. "Judging from what I heard, that wasn't exactly the normal way either one of you usually wakes up."

Suisōgaku nodded. "Please don't tell anyone about it," she said to the waitress. "I'd be so embarrassed if people started talking about it."

"Don't worry. I won't tell anyone," the waitress replied.

"And neither will I," Clemont assured Suisōgaku. "It'll be our little secret."

Suisōgaku nodded, and stretched, glad that she had decided against a tight shirt during her short shopping spree with Viola. If there was one thing she hated, it was tight clothes. "Don't worry," Bonnie said, looking at her brother and Suisōgaku. "In a couple of weeks, you two won't even worry about stuff like that."

"Why?" Clemont asked.

"Well, you're a couple, aren't you?" the waitress asked, confused.

"They sure are," Bonnie replied with a smile on her face.

"No, we aren't. We're just friends," Clemont said to the waitress. "Just friends."

"I need to go to the bathroom," Suisōgaku replied softly. Clemont moved to the side, allowing her to get into the aisle.

The waitress noticed the look on Suisōgaku's face. "I think you made her a bit sad," she said to Clemont.

"H-how?" Clemont asked, confused. "All I did was say that we were just friends."

"That might be the problem," the waitress replied. "Better talk with that girl after she's done in the bathroom."

In the bathroom, Suisōgaku stared at the stall walls, depressed. _(I should've known he didn't love me,)_ she thought. _(Why would he? I look like a vampire, my brother is one of the most intimidating trainers around, and I'm not that sexy.)_ She stared at the wall until her business was done. She walked out of the stall and washed her hands. _(And on top of that, my hair is a mess,)_ she thought, and she was right. Her hair looked exactly like she'd been sleeping on an airplane, but that was easily taken care of. With a sigh, Suisōgaku made her way back, saying nothing as Clemont moved so that she could get to her seat.

"Remember what the lady said," Bonnie said to Clemont. "You have to talk to her."

"You're not supposed to say that out loud," Clemont replied.

"What is there to talk about?" Suisōgaku replied in a soft, flat voice. "I already know you don't love me, Clemont."

"Th-that's not true!" Clemont replied, shocked. "I actually do love you, Suisōgaku."

"Then why'd you say we weren't a couple?" Suisōgaku asked.

"I d-don't kn-know," Clemont stuttered. "I don't know."

Suisōgaku was quiet, staring at the seat in front of her. There was a small tear in her left eye. "Do … you find me to be … attractive?" she asked after a few awkward minutes of silence. "And if you do, why?" Clemont opened his mouth to reply, but then the plane dipped as it neared the Vermillion City Airport. Suisōgaku grabbed on to Clemont's shoulder. "What happening?" she asked, sounding scared.

"The plane's pilot and copilot are just beginning landing sequences," the air waitress from earlier assured the nervous ninja. "It's nothing to worry about."

Suddenly, there was the sound of a loud explosion, and the plane lurched to the side. "WHAT WAS THAT?!" Suisōgaku screamed.

**-In the cockpit-**

"We just got hit by a missile," the copilot yelled. "All right engines are down, and the left side engines aren't far behind."

"Can we land the plane like this?" the pilot asked.

"I don't think we can," the copilot replied, panicking.

"Flight C140, this is Flight Control. You need to pick up your speed or you won't make the runway."

"Copy that, Flight Control, but we got hit by some missiles," the pilot replied. "The engines are failing. I don't think we're gonna make it!"

"Keep the nose of the plane up," Flight Control replied. "It'll help increase passenger survival when you crash-land."

**-In the body of the plane-**

"WE'RE DOOMED," Suisōgaku yelled, terrified. She'd tried to have Latias use Psychic to slow the plane's death spiral, but the female Eon Pokémon had been unable to do anything more than slow the plane slightly.

"I don't want to die!" Serena yelled.

"We're not going to die!" Ash said. "We're going to survive! I don't know how, but we _will_ survive!"

Suddenly, the plane began rapidly slowing down until it was seemingly floating in midair. "Flight Control, what the heck was that?!" the pilot yelled.

"I sure as heck wish I knew!" Flight Control shouted back. "Whatever it is, you're glowing! It looks like a Psychic move is landing the plane for you."

Serena looked at Ash. "Psychic much?" she joked in a shaky voice.

Ash shrugged. "I just had a feeling that we would survive," he said.

Clemont sighed in relief, with Suisōgaku clutching his shirt sleeve like it was her only chance at surviving. "Am I dead?" she asked, her voice shakier than a bowl of Jell-O in an earthquake.

"You're alive," Clemont said, gently hugging Suisōgaku and rubbing her back in a calming manner. He hid his surprise at what he felt, or rather, what he didn't feel: a bra strap. _(Why isn't she wearing a bra?)_ He wondered, his mind failing to try and think about the situation in an inappropriate way, proceeding along its normal scientific path until it was interrupted by a THUNK as the plane was dropped about 5 ft from the ground, causing Suisōgaku to hug Clemont more tightly before passing out.

**-Nearby-**

Just outside Vermillion City, a black-clad figure sat, panting slightly, reflecting on what had just happened. _[Are you certain that halting the airplane's descent was not an overly taxing endeavor?]_ Deoxys asked, concerned. He knew that his master was incredibly strong, but stopping an airplane like the one that Suisōgaku and the others were on was no easy task, even for experienced Alakazam.

_[I'm fine. I just need to catch my breath,] _Tsuyoi replied.

**-Meanwhile, back in Vermillion City-**

"That's the last time I g-get on a p-p-plane," Bonnie stuttered. She was still shivering in fear because she thought she'd almost died in the plane, which wasn't far from the truth. She would've died had the plane crashed into the ground.

"I don't blame you," Serena replied. "I hope we stay here for a while. This city looks nice."

"It's Vermillion City," Ash explained. "It's mostly known for its harbor, but it's got an impressive airport."

Clemont looked around the crowded hospital. Most of the people there had been in the plane that had almost crashed. He hadn't suffered any injuries, but was nervous about Suisōgaku. She'd passed out when the plane had sorta crash-landed, and he hadn't seen her since she'd been taken to a nearby hospital room. "Excuse me," a gentle voice said. Clemont and the others (Ash and his friends) looked up to see Nurse Joy and her Chansey. "Suisōgaku is awake," the Nurse informed them.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Ash asked, jumping to his feet. "Let's go see her!"

"Actually," Nurse Joy said, halting Ash in his tracks, "she wants to talk to Clemont first, alone."

"Ooh, looks like she's got a crush on you," Serena teased, giggling when Clemont started blushing. Bonnie joined in, giggling softly.

"Please, come this way," Nurse Joy said. Clemont nodded, and followed the pink-haired nurse to where the Pokémon Center cared for injured people. After a few minutes of walking, they came to Room 150. "She's in here," Nurse Joy said.

"What was wrong with her?" Clemont asked, curious.

"She just fainted from fear," Nurse Joy said. "From what she told me, her claustrophobia combined with the plane almost crashing didn't do her any good." She opened the door, and Clemont walked in.

"Hey, there," Suisōgaku said as Clemont walked in. "I was wondering when you'd walk in."

"The doctors had to look at me, too," Clemont replied, "but I'm more concerned about you. Are you okay?" he asked. Within a moment of his asking, he knew that he didn't need to ask. Suisōgaku's face wasn't as pale as it had been when she'd fainted, and her breathing wasn't as shaky or panicked as it had been during the plane plummeting.

"I'm fine," Suisōgaku replied. "I'm alive, and my Pokémon weren't badly injured, so I'd say that I'm okay."

"That's good to know," Clemont replied. After a few minutes, he spoke again. "I'm sorry about what I said on the plane."

Suisōgaku looked at Clemont, curious. "You mean … you find me attractive?" she asked.

"I do," Clemont replied. "I like you because you're a nice girl. You don't show cleavage to try and seduce me, which some girls have tried. I like your hair, and I love that you don't try to change yourself in order to get someone to like you. You act like yourself, and that's what I love most about you."

Suisōgaku blushed deeply. "S-so, you e-enjoyed that k-kiss that I a-accidentally g-gave you this morning?" she asked nervously.

Clemont nodded. He'd had a good amount of time to think about it, and decided that while the kiss might've been a bit embarrassing because his sister had made a bit of a deal about it, all in all, he didn't hate the kiss at all. "It wasn't too bad," he said. He blinked, realizing what Suisōgaku was asking. "Y-you want another t-try at it?" he asked nervously. Suisōgaku looked down, blushing deeply. She looked up, and nodded. "B-before I change my mind," she added nervously.

Clemont blushed, and leaned toward Suisōgaku, closing his eyes. Suisōgaku leaned toward Clemont, closing her eyes as well. Their lips almost met, and they would've if it weren't for a certain short blonde girl. "That's so cute!" Bonnie yelled, taking a picture of them with Viola's camera.

"BONNIE, GET OUT OF MY ROOM! NOW!" Suisōgaku snapped, startling Clemont and scaring the living daylights out of Bonnie, who ran out of the room as fast as she could. Satisfied that his sister had left the room, Clemont looked at Suisōgaku, who was trying hard not to cry. "Maybe I shouldn't have yelled at her l-like that," she said.

Clemont shook his head. "I would've yelled at her, but you beat me to it," he said, moving close to Suisōgaku, "and you did a better job of terrifying her than I could've." Seeing that his remarks weren't making Suisōgaku visibly happier, Clemont gently held her chin in his hand, and kissed her on the lips. Even though it was a simple PG kiss, Suisōgaku was shocked. Once she'd recovered from the shock, she felt like melting in Clemont's arms. This was nothing like the accidental kiss she'd given him on the plane. This one was so much better, so good, in fact, that Suisōgaku forgot she'd ever been angry at Bonnie. She made a slight whimper of complaint when Clemont pulled away from her so he could catch his breath.

"Sorry," Clemont said, panting slightly. "I just needed to catch my breath."

Bonnie walked into the room in time to see her brother and Suisōgaku kissing. Her jaw literally dropped in shock at the surprise. She'd feared that her (unintended) interference had ruined the mood for good, but she was glad that she was wrong. After a few minutes, Clemont and Suisōgaku pulled apart, staring into each other's eyes as they caught their breath. Suisōgaku looked over at Bonnie, and to Bonnie's relief, she didn't look angry. Clemont's kiss had overpowered it. "S-s-sorry ab-b-b-bout int-t-terrupting y-you earl-l-lier," Bonnie apologized, stuttering nervously.

"Apology accepted," Suisōgaku replied, causing Bonnie to breathe a sigh of relief. "Just don't do it again, okay?"

"Oh, I won't," Bonnie replied nervously. "I won't interrupt unless it's really important."

Clemont shrugged. "Can't beat that," he said, shrugging.

"Is it okay if we come in?" Ash asked, standing in the doorway.

"Sure. Come on in," Clemont replied. Ash, Serena, and Viola walked in to see Suisōgaku and Clemont holding hands. Bonnie gave Viola her camera back.

"So, Clemont and Suisōgaku, am I to assume that you two ARE a couple?" Viola asked, with a smile on her face.

The two teens, the blonde nerd and the red-haired ninja, looked at each other briefly, then looked back at Viola and nodded. "We certainly are," Clemont replied.

"Happy, happy!" Bonnie yelled happily. "Now I don't have to go looking for a girl for my brother!"

Clemont chuckled nervously. Suisōgaku shrugged indifferently, and smiled at Clemont as Nurse Joy walked into the room. "You're good to go, Miss Suisōgaku," the pink-haired Nurse said. "Your Pokémon are also ready to go."

"Thank you, Nurse Joy," Suisōgaku replied, bowing respectfully to Nurse Joy, who respectfully bowed in return.

**-Meanwhile, near Vermillion Harbor-**

Mewtwo was floating through the crowd nearing the airport, thankful that he was an invisible spirit as yet another person walked through him. He had quickly learned that being walked through gave him a chill, one that wasn't pleasant nor unpleasant. _(I know he's around here somewhere. I can sense him,)_ Mewtwo thought. He looked nervously at Frourós (A/N Frourós is Greek for Watchman), the angel who'd been assigned by Michael to ensure that Mewtwo found his new Guardian safely. "{I doubt that you will have any trouble from demons of hell,}" the Archangel had said. "{However, caution must be exercised. There is the possibility that you, Mewtwo, might be perceived in a negative manner by your guardian.}"

"{It's going to be okay,}" Frourós said, breaking Mewtwo out of his contemplation. "{I am here to protect you.}"

"{And I thank you for that,}" Mewtwo replied. He closed his eyes, and scanned the crowds with his mind, but couldn't sense the Guardian within the city limits. Extending his senses, he located his target. "{He is on the outskirts of the city,}" he said. "{We will find him there. He is regaining his breath after halting that airplane.}"

"{Go to him," Frourós said. "{I will be right behind you.}"

Nodding, Mewtwo flew silently with ethereal speed toward the border of Vermillion City.

**-At the outskirts of Vermillion City-**

Having regained his breath, Tsuyoi recalled Deoxys, and began walking back to Vermillion City. He paused in his tracks when he saw what appeared to be a spirit floating toward him. It wasn't human, that much he knew. The figure before him had short grey arms that ended in hands with 3 fingers, had a long purple tail, purple eyes, and what appeared to be a tube running from the back of its head to between its shoulder blades, which stood out against its back, which was partly visible through the figure's semitransparent front. _"What manner of spirit are you?"_ Tsuyoi asked cautiously. _"Good or evil? Angel or demon?"_ As powerful as he was, Tsuyoi knew that he had no way to fight against spirits. The spirit before him tried to speak, but Tsuyoi couldn't understand him. After a few minutes, the figure appeared to grow frustrated, and flew toward Tsuyoi, entering his mind. Immediately, Tsuyoi had a horrific headache, the worst he'd ever had. _(That settles it. This figure must be a demon,)_ Tsuyoi thought, terrified for the first time in his life. _(I've got to get this thing out of my mind before it controls me.)_ Tsuyoi ran into Vermillion City, sticking to the shadows as he made his way toward a Church he'd seen while hitching a ride on the flight to Vermillion City.

Within a few minutes of deceptively calm travel, he had found it. "The Vermillion Church of Christ," the sign read. _(Well, this is the place,)_ Tsuyoi thought. He noticed that the Church was closed. _(I can't afford to wait for Sunday,)_ Tsuyoi thought in a panic. He jumped onto the roof of the church, gaining access to the inside by jumping through a skylight. He found himself in the church sanctuary, where the Pastor was sitting in a pew, reading the Bible. "What is it, child?" The old Pastor asked in an aged, compassionate, peaceful voice. "The church is closed, and there is nothing here that is worth stealing."

"I have not come to steal anything," Tsuyoi said with his physical mouth, trying to keep the panic out of his voice. "I fear I have a demon in my head, and I cannot dislodge it on my own."

The Pastor nodded gravely. "It takes a strong Christian to dislodge a demon, but I will do what I can," he promised.

Tsuyoi nodded, and bowed his head. The Pastor placed his hand on Tsuyoi's forehead, and closed his eyes. Immediately, there was an angelic light above him. Shielding his eyes, he looked upward to see Frourós, Mewtwo's guardian angel. Tsuyoi turned to look at Frourós, and stiffened. "What do you want with me?" he asked nervously.

"{You do not carry a demon in your mind,}" Frourós said softly, putting Tsuyoi at ease, "{but the spirit of Mewtwo, one of the strongest Pokémon known. He has need of someone to help him guard a certain person in Saffron City. Ask Mewtwo, and he will tell you who it is.}" After saying this, Frourós vanished from sight, leaving a stunned pastor and Tsuyoi.

"It would appear that you no longer need my help," the pastor said.

"That is true, but I am grateful that you were willing to help me," Tsuyoi said, bowing politely to the Pastor.

"May God be with you," the Pastor said as Tsuyoi made his way out of the church by the same way he'd entered.

Tsuyoi waved goodbye, and made his way back to the outskirts of Vermillion City, having avoided detection on the streets. He looked around to make sure that he hadn't been followed. Satisfied, he sat down, and closed his eyes. _"Mewtwo, are you there?"_ he asked. Abruptly, he was transported to what appeared to be an area in the clouds.

("I am here,") Mewtwo said, his voice echoing slightly as he appeared. ("I apologize for scaring you earlier. I tried to enter your mind so that I could more fluently communicate with you, but your mind's inherent defenses kept me at bay, and I was forced to cast them aside or force my way through them, which I believe is what caused your headache.")

Tsuyoi sighed. ("I'm just glad that you are not a demon, and I apologize for identifying you as one,") he apologized.

("No problem,") Mewtwo replied. ("I looked into your memories, and noticed that before today, you had no idea that I had existed, making your misidentification more reasonable when combined with the fact that I caused you pain when I entered your mind.")

("Why did you come to me?") Tsuyoi asked.

("I was killed while guarding the Saffron City Gym Leader, Sabrina,") Mewtwo explained, ("and I needed to find a new Guardian to ensure that she, and Saffron City, does not fall to Team Rocket.")

Tsuyoi nodded grimly. ("I know Sabrina, and I know and loathe Team Rocket,") he said. ("When do we leave?")

("It is preferable that we leave as soon as possible, but you are the one in control here,") Mewtwo said softly. ("I can only serve as an advisor on how to fight a battle or how to channel your Psychic power, nothing more.")

Tsuyoi nodded. ("Let's go then, friend,") he said, extending a hand.

Mewtwo shook it. ("Friend. I like the sound of that,") he said.

In real life, Tsuyoi opened his eyes, exiting the mind-space. He looked at his hand, reflecting on the events that had occurred. _(This certainly has been an unusual day,)_ he thought. _(Like Mewtwo said, I should leave soon. Perhaps I will meet Ash Ketchum on the road, eager for a rematch.)_ He smiled, and jumped from the tree that he'd been sitting in.

**-With Ash and his friends-**

"I am glad to finally be out of that hospital," Suisōgaku said, stretching her arms.

"I don't blame you," Ash said, "but we had to make sure you were okay, and that our Pokémon were okay."

_"And I am glad to hear that you are all okay,"_ a familiar voice said from a nearby tree. Everyone looked around, but it was Serena who first noticed the black-clad figure. "There!" she said, pointing to the tree where the figure was.

"Oh, you again," Bonnie said unenthusiastically. "What do you want, now?"

_"An answer to a question,"_ the figure, Tsuyoi, replied cryptically.

"And what question is that, brother?" Suisōgaku asked.

_"Where are you going? Do you plan on making your way to Saffron City?" _Tsuyoi asked. _"And why, exactly, are you holding my sister's hand, Clemont?"_

"Ummm…" Clemont replied, not sure how to answer the questions.

"He doesn't have to answer that last question at all, you jerk!" Serena yelled, nursing a grudge against Tsuyoi for what he'd said to Ash the last time they met.

"Chill out," Clemont said.

_"She's right,"_ Tsuyoi admitted, surprising everyone, Serena being the most surprised. _"I _was_ a bit overly harsh at our previous meeting. Would it be too late to apologize, miss Serena?"_ he asked, staring at Serena.

"N-no. I suppose it isn't t-too late," Serena said, "and I suppose I better apologize for that grudge. As for where we're going, yes, we're planning to go to Saffron City before we go to the Indigo Plateau for the Kanto League competition, which Ash will be participating in. Why do you care?"

_"I have … personal business in Saffron City,"_ Tsuyoi replied. _"Ash, remember when you were shown Mewtwo's death?"_ Ash said nothing, but winced in reply. Tsuyoi nodded. _"Mewtwo has returned, and serves as my advisor, a Jiminy Cricket of sorts. I have somehow been chosen by him to be the new Guardian for the Saffron City Gym Leader, Sabrina, the only other person who could rival me in sheer Psychic potential."_

"Well, is there another reason why you're going there?" Ash asked, curious. "You seem to be rather interested in Sabrina's wellbeing."

_"Why should I _not _be concerned about the safety of one of the few people I trust?" _Tsuyoi replied. _"Also, I suppose you could say that we have a history."_

Serena smirked. "She's your girlfriend, isn't she?" she teased.

"He doesn't have to answer that if he doesn't want to," Suisōgaku said to Serena.

_"She isn't,"_ Tsuyoi said casually. _"At this moment, she's merely a friend."_ He looked at Ash. _"So, care for a rematch?"_

"You bet!" Ash said enthusiastically. "Only this time, I won't lose so easily."

_"I could use a challenge to get me ready for meeting my former Psychic rival,"_ Tsuyoi replied with an eye smile.

**-15 minutes later, at a clearing-**

"The rematch battle between Tsuyoi Kokoro and Ash Ketchum will now begin," Clemont said. "This is a 3 on 3 Pokémon match. Both trainers may switch out Pokémon if they wish. Battle begin!"

"Okay, Charizard, let's go!" Ash yelled. As the Pokéball opened, the orange Fire/Flying Pokémon flew out, roaring as a jet of flame shot out of its mouth.

_"Bohmander, arise,"_ Tsuyoi said calmly. Salamence, an aggressive blue/red Dragon/Flying Pokémon came out of its Pokéball, and glared at Charizard, who stared back.

"Battle, begin!"

**_And so, our heroes have discovered an unexpected friend in the mysterious Ninja Tsuyoi Kokoro, who is aided by the spirit of the dead hero Mewtwo. As the ninja and his new allies travel to Saffron City to protect the Gym Leader of that city, Sabrina, what secrets shall be revealed, as the Journey continues?!_**

**-In the ocean near Vermillion City-**

"Have you detected Mewtwo's signature?"

"No we have not, Giovanni, sir," a Team Rocket Grunt replied. "We have been unable to detect it since yesterday. It would appear that you were successful in terminating it."

Giovanni nodded gravely. "The Kanto League Tournament is coming soon," he said. "That will be the opportunity for my agents to strike. Sabrina will be there, along with the Kanto Elite Four and all the other Gym Leaders. We will be able to strike a crippling blow there."

_"Master, if I may say something,"_ Night-walker said, bowing before Giovanni in his Defense Forme.

"You may," Giovanni said.

Night-walker nodded, and stood up, shifting to Normal Forme. _"I have scanned the Kanto Region, and I have discovered the presence of a very powerful Psychic trainer. I do not know who he is, but he is not of this region. He is on his way to Saffron City, and has met up with the trainer Ash Ketchum and his friends. Shall we launch a strike against this trainer before he has the chance to arrive at Saffron City?"_

"No," Giovanni replied. "We will have spies observe this previously unknown element, and once we know more about him, _then_ we may launch a strike against him, but not before."

**_To Be Continued_**

**Hope you don't mind that I went Greek for the title. It was definitely a pleasure to write this chapter, and fun to try my hand at writing some good, ole-fashioned fluff. Did you like the fluff, silverivy13? Also, Bohmander is Japanese for Salamence, a mighty Dragon. Lots of interesting things this chapter. Tsuyoi has met the spirit of Mewtwo, one of my most favored Pokémon, and Clemont and Suisōgaku are now officially a couple. I would like to note that they've been traveling together for a few weeks, including the plane ride, so it's not a case of 'love at first sight'. If you have any questions, problems, or you just want to chat with me, drop me a PM, and I'll answer your questions.**


	4. Rematches, dates, and Impending Doom

**I'm-a back! I figured I left you hanging long enough with that cliffhanger I threw at you. You're right, Wild Colors. I stopped the battle there so that I could keep people interested in the fanfic. Anyway, it has come to my understanding that some of my readers may have not enjoyed the religious parts of the previous chapter, and possibly declined reviewing because of it. I understand why this is so, and I apologize for potentially making readers uncomfortable, but I won't delete the scene, as it's an integral part of the chapter as well as a vital scene in Tsuyoi's meeting with Mewtwo. Before I get too far ahead of myself, I'd better acknowledge some strong supporters of mine: The reviewers.**

**SuperHeroTimeFan: I'm glad you found the chapter to be interesting. I hope you enjoy this chapter as well. I may use that nickname for Suisōgaku.**

**latinoheat151: Glad you enjoyed the chapter. Yes, the romance between Suisōgaku and Clemont may have gone a bit fast, but it wasn't love at first sight. I know that there are those who don't like 'love at first sight' relationships. Can't name names because I don't know the names.**

**silverivy13: I understand that the church scene may have been offensive to people in other religions, and I did not intend to offend anyone. If I have offended anyone with the church scene in the previous chapter, I humbly apologize.**

**Princess Kawaii Shion and Wild Colors (having reviewed the chapter in PM): I'm glad you enjoyed the fluff. As you both know, I'm not a fluff writer by trade, but more typically an action/battle scene writer.**

**Speaking of battle scenes, I almost forgot! I left Ash and Tsuyoi at one. We'd better get back, quick. Everyone got your popcorn and sodas? Okay. The Journey Continues!**

**Translations:**

**Bohmander (Japanese for Salamence)**

**Abusoru (Japanese for Absol)**

**_Jiānshí Gōngjī _****(Chinese for Stone Edge)**

**Zoroāku(Japanese for Zoroark)**

**Rukario (Japanese for Lucario)**

**Chapter 4: Rematches, dates, and Impending Doom**

"…" talking/Psychic conversation in flashback

_(…) thoughts/flashbacks_

_[…] Private psychic link_

[…] Private psychic link during flashback

"[…]" Pokémon speaking

_"…" Psychic conversation_

**_After a long, exhausting plane ride, our heroes have arrived in Vermilion City, but not before getting shot down by missiles. Thankfully, they were saved by the legendary ninja Tsuyoi, who later met with the spirit of Mewtwo. Tsuyoi later met Ash on the road, and found out that his sister was in a romantic relationship with Clemont. Now, at long last, Ash is about to have his rematch with Tsuyoi!_**

"Charizard, use Dragon Tail," Ash yelled. With a roar, Charizard lashed its bluish-white tail at Salamence.

_"Iron Tail to counter, Dragon Claw to strike,"_ Tsuyoi replied. Salamence blocked Charizard's Dragon Tail with its Iron Tail and followed up the block with a close-range Dragon Claw, forcing the Flame Pokémon back.

"Amazing," Suisōgaku said as she watched the battle.

Clemont nodded in agreement. "Your brother is quick to react," he said. "He's gonna be tough to beat."

"Charizard, use your Dragon Claw," Ash said. Charizard's claws grew larger, and it charged through the air at Salamence.

_"[Stand your ground,]"_ Tsuyoi ordered through a Private Psychic Link. Salamence nodded, and watched as Charizard moved closer. Everyone winced in anticipation of Charizard landing a super-effective hit on the Dragon. _"Drop down!"_ Tsuyoi ordered. Salamence dropped in altitude, causing Charizard to miss. _"Now use Hydro Pump!"_ Salamence opened its mouth, and shot a powerful blast of water out of its mouth, hitting Charizard directly in the gut, causing the Flame Pokémon to fall to the ground.

Ash was stunned. "What was that?!" He asked.

_"The result of careful Pokémon breeding, and some very arduous Pokémon training on top of that,"_ Tsuyoi replied. He looked at Charizard, struggling to its feet.

"Can you still fight?" Ash asked Charizard.

"[Oh, I can fight!]" Charizard replied, getting to its feet. "[It's gonna take more than a lucky shot from a dragon to knock me out!]" Charizard glared at Salamence, and on Ash's order, shot a powerful Flamethrower at Salamence.

Tsuyoi and Salamence looked at each other, and Tsuyoi nodded. Salamence looked at Charizard, and shot a concentrated Hyper Beam out of its mouth, hitting Charizard in the gut and knocking it to the ground. When the dust cleared, Charizard's eyes had been replaced by swirls. "Charizard is unable to battle! Winner is Salamence!" Viola yelled, hiding her own surprise. She knew Salamence could learn Hydro Pump by breeding, but had never actually seen it done.

"Charizard, are you okay?" Ash asked, running over to his Pokémon.

"[Phew! I'm okay, but this guy is tough. He won't go down easily,]" Charizard replied, nodding since he knew Ash couldn't understand him.

Ash nodded, and recalled Charizard to its Pokéball. "Have a good rest, Charizard," he said. "Okay. Snorlax, let's go!"

"[Dinner time!]" Snorlax yelled. When it landed, it looked around, but didn't see any food. "[So, a battle it is. Better make it quick. I've got a nap I got to get back to.]"

"Battle begin!"

_"Salamence, use Head-butt!"_ Tsuyoi ordered. Salamence charged toward Snorlax.

"Snorlax, use Ice Punch!" Ash replied. Snorlax pulled its fist back, winding up for a punch as its fist became coated with an icy energy. The Ice Punch landed at the same moment as Salamence's Head-butt hit its target. Snorlax was thrown back a few feet, but regained its footing. Salamence's wings were completely frozen down to the back.

"[That was cold,]" the pseudo-legendary Dragon growled.

Tsuyoi's eyes narrowed slightly. _"Very interesting,"_ he said. _"[Salamence, use your Incinerate attack,]"_ he said to Salamence. Salamence's wings glowed white, swiftly defrosting themselves. _"Now, use Dragon Rush!"_ With a loud roar, Salamence charged forward, covered in a fiery blue energy.

"Snorlax, use Hyper Beam on the ground," Ash yelled. Snorlax shot a Hyper Beam down at the ground, blasting off like a rocket.

"It can fly?!" Everyone asked, astonished.

Tsuyoi watched, awed, as Snorlax rose to about 50 ft. in the air. "Now, use Giga Impact," Ash cried. Snorlax stopped rising in the air, and began coming down like a ton of bricks, coated in a purplish energy.

_"Draco Meteor!"_ Tsuyoi yelled. Salamence shot a stream of orange meteor-like blasts out its mouth, hitting Snorlax as it plunged downward, slamming into its target. A massive cloud of dust was kicked up by the attack.

"Snorlax!" Ash yelled. When the dust cleared, everyone, even Tsuyoi, gasped in shock. Snorlax was knocked out, and so was Salamence, driven into the ground in a Salamence-shaped hole. "Snorlax, are you okay?" Ash asked his Pokémon.

"[Give me about a day's worth of naps, and I'll let you know,]" Snorlax replied, nodding.

Ash nodded also. "Snorlax, return," he said, recalling his heavyweight Pokémon.

_"You did excellently, Bohmander. Return. You have earned your rest,"_ Tsuyoi said, recalling Salamence. He looked at Ash. _"It has been 5 years since an opponent has been able to defeat one of my Pokémon. It would appear that I was wrong when we first met. You are indeed a worthy opponent."_

"Th-thank you," Ash said, surprised. He looked over at his friends, who were also surprised, Suisōgaku the most surprised of all. He looked at his Pokéballs. "I've got one Pokémon left. Better make it count," he said to himself.

_"So, have you made your choice?"_ Tsuyoi asked.

"I have. Infernape, let's go!" Ash yelled.

"[Booyah! Let's do this!]" Infernape yelled, the fire on its head blazing.

_"I believe that it is time to make this battle interesting,"_ Tsuyoi said. _"This is a sign of the doom of your defeat. Abusoru, arise!"_

With a loud cry, a Shiny Absol emerged from the Pokéball. Its face, horn, and tail had a reddish hue instead of the typical black. Its fur was reddish also. "Who is that Pokémon?" Serena asked as she pulled out her PokéDex. The image of a regular Absol appeared on the screen. [Absol, the Disaster Pokémon. When disasters are detected with its horn, Absol comes down from the mountains to warn people.]

"Sounds scary," Bonnie said, shivering slightly.

"Actually," Suisōgaku interjected, "Absol can only detect disasters. It can't bring them, and unfortunately, it's often blamed for the misfortune that comes."

"So, you have a Shiny Pokémon," Ash said. "That's cool. Still, it's not going to be easy to defeat my Infernape."

_"Likewise, it will be a hard fight to defeat my Abusoru,"_ Tsuyoi replied. _"Abusoru, use Shadow Ball!"_ Absol created a ball of purple energy, and used its scythe-like horn to throw the Shadow Ball.

"Dodge, and use Mach Punch," Ash yelled.

"[Aw, yeah. Your luck's about to turn,]" Infernape yelled, charging forward with a glowing fist after he dodged the Shadow Ball.

Tsuyoi smirked. _"[Combo 1,]"_ he said. Absol nodded, and dodged to the side, causing Infernape to miss. Taking advantage of this, Absol used Psycho Cut, hitting Infernape in the side.

On the sidelines, everyone was stunned at what happened. "It's as if he practiced for this situation," Clemont commented.

"He did," Suisōgaku replied, getting everyone's attention. "My brother would have Absol practice dodging to the side and striking at a moving target. He would always tell Absol what direction the rock would come from so that Absol wouldn't get hit accidentally. Absol, being rewarded with a Sitrus Berry when it did the technique right, quickly mastered the technique, and eventually, Tsuyoi pitted that technique against a trainer that had come to bring trouble to the Ninja Village. The trainer had a nasty Granbull that was trashing any Pokémon that opposed it, but Tsuyoi was able to defeat it in two shots: one with the technique that ended in Psycho Cut, and Cross Poison, which defeated that Pokémon."

Serena was impressed. "That's impressive," she said.

Clemont nodded, turning back toward the battle. Infernape was lying on the ground, but just before Viola could call the battle, Infernape stood up, glowing a slight red. Suddenly, the monkey Flame Pokémon's head-fire exploded upward in a blaze of power, showing that his Ability, Blaze, had been activated. "[Oh, yeah! Now it's time to bring the heat!]" Infernape yelled loudly.

Ash was very nervous. In the past, Infernape had lost control of itself when Blaze was activated, but it had times where it was in complete control of its heightened power. Sensing his trainer's indecision, Infernape looked back at Ash and nodded, giving him a thumbs up. Ash smiled, and returned it. "Ready, Infernape?"

"[I was BORN READY!]" Infernape yelled.

_"Time to reveal a superpowered state of my Pokémon as well,"_ Tsuyoi said, surprising everyone.

"What do you mean?" Ash asked. "Absol can't evolve. Can it?"

Absol shook its head slightly, revealing a pendant hanging around its neck, and in the pendant was a bluish jewel with a blue-and-white center, the jewel known as Absolite. From the shelter of his shirt collar, Tsuyoi pulled out a hidden pendant that had a rainbow-colored jewel with a DNA symbol in the middle, the Key Stone. _"Abusoru, it is time…"_

"[For our hearts…]"

_"[To become ONE!]"_ The two finished together. Suddenly, multiple bolts of energy shot from the two stones, flying toward the opposing Stone. Ash and the others watched in astonishment as the energy bolts intertwined, and vanished as Absol began glowing white. As it grew slightly heavier, its red horn flattened out and grew, a second horn growing on the other side of its head. The fur on its shoulders stood on end, giving the appearance of wings. As the fur on the left side of its head grew, its tail grew another point on the underside. The light dissipated, revealing the Mega Evolved Absol.

_"Mega Absol, are you ready?"_ Tsuyoi asked.

"[Definitely ready,]" Mega Absol replied, its voice deeper as a result of the Mega Evolution. It looked at Infernape, and smiled.

"Now the real battle begins," Viola said to Bonnie, Suisōgaku, and Serena. "Normally, I'd say that a normal Pokémon would have no chance against a Mega Evolved Pokémon, but considering Infernape's Blaze has been activated, it has more of a chance." Serena, Suisōgaku, and Bonnie nodded, and then looked back to the battle.

"Infernape, use Flare Blitz!" Ash yelled. With a mighty shout, Infernape coated itself in blue flames, and charged forward.

_"Jiānshí Gōngjī,"_ Tsuyoi ordered in Chinese. 4 rings of bluish energy formed around Mega Absol. The rings turned into shards of sharp stones which flew at Infernape with incredible speed and force. The shards hit Infernape and threw it back instantly, knocking it over. The Flare Blitz dissipated, and Infernape's eyes were replaced with swirls.

"Infernape is unable to battle. Winner is Mega Absol, which means the winner of this match is Tsuyoi!"

Ash ran over to Infernape. "Are you okay?" he asked.

Infernape nodded. "[I thought none could defeat me when the Flames surrounded me, but I met a worthy match,]" he replied.

Ash nodded, and recalled Infernape to his Pokéball. He walked over to Tsuyoi, and shook his hand. "That was a good match," he said.

_"Indeed," _Tsuyoi replied as Mega Absol devolved back to Absol. _"If only you had those Pokémon with you when we first met. Perhaps they could've provided a challenge for my Deoxys."_ He looked at the sky. _"It may rain soon,"_ he noted. _"We'd best get moving before it happens."_

"Definitely," Serena replied, and the small group began walking along Route 6, admiring the scenery. The majority of the Kanto Region, with the exception of Mount Moon and Route 13 (one of three routes connecting Fuchsia City and Lavender Town) was a forested area, and Route 6 was well-known for its short length and impressive forests. "Look at this," Serena said, pointing to her PokéDex. "There's even a legend that says there is a Pokémon inhabiting the forest that can change its shape. No one has ever seen it up close, but here's a picture someone managed to get of it." Everyone crowded around to see what the Pokémon was. It appeared to be a shadow shaped roughly like a person, but with a massive ponytail. The shadowed figure stood on two legs, and appeared to have been captured mid-sprint.

"That Pokémon looks familiar," Ash said. "I have the feeling I've seen it somewhere."

_"I have seen it but once, myself,"_ Tsuyoi added, causing everyone to look at him.

"So you know what it is?" Viola asked.

Tsuyoi nodded, and was about to reply when the bushes off to his right began rustling. "Wh-wh-what's that?" Bonnie asked, hiding behind Tsuyoi.

_"The Phantom of the Forest,"_ Tsuyoi replied. _"An elusive creature, I hear."_ He looked into the bushes. _"So, will you do battle, Phantom, or do you prefer to hide?"_

In reply, a figure stepped out of the bushes. The figure looked exactly like Tsuyoi, including the red eyes and pale skin around the eyes. Everyone did a double take, looking at the figure, then back at Tsuyoi, and then back at the figure. "Who are you?" Serena asked, nervous.

_"You would not recognize me if you saw my pre-evolved forme," _the fake Tsuyoi replied. He turned to Ash. _"It has been a while, friend."_

Ash's eyes widened in recognition. "I know you!" He cried. "You were that Zorua that Brock, Dawn, and I helped in Crown City."

_"You are right,"_ the Zoroark replied, revealing its true kitsune-like forme. His face had a grim look on it. _"Things, unfortunately, have changed in a very bad way."_

_"How so?"_ Tsuyoi inquired.

_"A very bad man in a suit captured my Meema,"_ the Zoroark replied.

"What's a 'Meema'?" Suisōgaku asked.

"It's what Zoroark called his foster mother Zoroark when he was a Zorua," Ash explained before turning back to Zoroark. "What happened to her?" He asked.

_"The bad man put her in a cage, and said that he wanted her for her DNA. What is DNA?"_ Zoroark asked, confused.

"Allow me to explain," Clemont replied, pushing his glasses up his nose. "You see, Zoroark, every living thing, whether Pokémon or human, has DNA, otherwise known as Deoxyribonucleic Acid."

"You're not helping, big brother," Bonnie interrupted.

"Just let me get to the point," Clemont replied. "Anyways, DNA is what helps make people different from Pokémon, and Pokémon species different from each other."

_"So, my DNA is not the same as yours?"_ Zoroark asked.

"Correct," Clemont replied. "If the man in the suit wanted your foster mother for her DNA, well, that could mean a number of things."

_"What things? Also, what is a 'clone'?"_ Zoroark replied.

"A clone is a copy of a person or Pokémon that has the same DNA as the original," Clemont replied.

Zoroark growled sharply, causing Clemont to jump back. _"The bad man in the suit said that he would kill my Meema after he got a sample of her DNA for a clone!"_ The Illusion Pokémon roared in anger.

Ash and Clemont reached for their Pokéballs out of reflex, but Tsuyoi motioned for them to stand down. _"Zoroāku, what do you know of a Pokémon named Mewtwo?"_ He asked calmly.

Zoroark's face turned from angry to thoughtful. _"Mewtwo… He is a good friend. He saved me from the bad man's goons, and promised that he would save my Meema. He also said that he would send help."_

Tsuyoi looked at the ground, and sighed. _"Mewtwo was unable to retrieve the help he promised," _he said grimly. _"The bad man in the suit, known by the name of Giovanni, used your Meema's DNA to create a Dark clone of one of my most powerful Pokémon, and that clone killed Mewtwo. Now, Mewtwo resides in my mind as a knowledgeable advisor, and he says that your Meema is safe in a cave system where Giovanni's goons dare not tread for fear of being taken away by ghosts."_ He chuckled softly, his face turning slightly happy. _"I helped create that myth that a powerful Ghost Pokémon exists in the caves. The rest, the native Pokémon helped me create. My pack and I plan on going to a nearby city to warn a formidable Psychic woman of what has happened, and that her den is in such grave danger that she must move."_

"What about the clone that Zoroark talked about?" Viola asked.

_"Sabrina already knows,"_ Tsuyoi replied.

"I already know what?" A familiar voice asked from further down the trail. Everyone turned to where the voice had come from. They saw a tall woman in reddish-purple clothes, with hair going all the way down her back. "What are you talking about?" She asked.

"Sabrina?" Ash asked.

The young woman smiled, and nodded. "Hello, Ash," she said. "It's been a long time." Ash nodded. "And Tsuyoi. It's been a while since I've seen you. Got all the Kanto badges yet?" Sabrina asked, a slight blush appearing on her cheeks.

"Almost," Tsuyoi replied verbally. "I have one Badge that I need to get, and it's your badge."

Sabrina nodded. "Well, let's go," she said. "I'll teleport us to the Gym." She looked at Zoroark. "Who's your trainer?" She asked.

_"I don't have a trainer right now,"_ Zoroark replied, _"but I'm thinking of going with the boy in the dark clothes."_

Sabrina nodded. She turned around, and closed her eyes for a brief moment. She took a deep breath, and opened her eyes, which were now glowing. Suddenly, the scenery changed from the forest to a large, expansive indoor arena. Viola took a few pictures of the room. "This place looks different," Ash noted.

"I enlarged the arena room," Sabrina replied, "and it was much too dark for my liking." She turned to Tsuyoi. "You ready?" she asked.

"Ready as I'll ever be," Tsuyoi replied. _(I would've preferred to go to the Pokémon Center and have my Pokémon healed, but I've got 4 with me that can battle.)_

"The battle between the Saffron City Gym Leader Sabrina and the challenger Tsuyoi Kokoro will now begin. Each trainer may use three Pokémon, and only the challenger can switch out. The battle will be decided when one trainer's Pokémon are unable to battle. Battle begin!"

"Bronzong, let's go!" Sabrina yelled.

"[Ready to serve,]" the bell-like Pokémon replied.

"Rukario, you are needed," Tsuyoi said.

Lucario jumped out of its Pokéball. _"I am ready to gain us the victory, sir," _the Lucario said in a feminine telepathic voice.

"Who's that Pokémon?" Clemont asked. He took out his PokéDex, and an image of a Lucario appeared on the screen. [Lucario, the Aura Pokémon and the evolved form of Riolu. Lucario reads the thoughts of others and anticipates their movements by sensing their auras.]

_"It forgot to mention that female Lucario right there is the most beautiful Pokémon ever,"_ Zoroark added in a dreamy tone.

Serena looked at Zoroark, and noticed a slight blush on its face. _(Looks like more love is in the air,)_ she thought.

_"[Bronzong, use Earthquake!]"_ Sabrina ordered. Bronzong rose into the air, and then slammed itself down on the ground, causing it to shake.

_"[Use Bone Rush!]" _Tsuyoi yelled. Lucario formed a bone between its hands, and used the bone like a vaulting pole to throw itself into the air, causing it to dodge the Earthquake.

"WHOA!" Everyone yelled.

"How'd Lucario do that?" Viola asked, confused. "I never heard either trainer give an order."

"It's gotta be telepathy," Ash replied. "Sabrina used telepathy when we last fought. It allows her to give orders to her Pokémon, and keep a step ahead of her opponent."

_"Remember, Tsuyoi has the same telepathy ability,"_ Zoroark reminded them.

_"[Use Blaze Kick!]"_ Tsuyoi ordered. Lucario's feet became engulfed in flames, and it hit Bronzong with both feet, knocking the Bronze Bell Pokémon to the ground, and also causing the attention of Ash and his friends to turn back to the battle. When the dust cleared, Bronzong's red eyes were replaced by the characteristic spirals of unconsciousness.

"Bronzong is unable to battle! Winner is Lucario!" The referee cried.

_"Go, Lucario!"_ Zoroark yelled. Lucario looked over at the Illusion Pokémon, who had hearts for eyes, and rolled her eyes. _(Another love-struck male,)_ she thought.

"You did well, Bronzong," Sabrina said as she recalled the Bronze Bell Pokémon. She looked at Tsuyoi. "I am impressed, and that is hard to do. You felled one of my Pokémon in two moves. Care to see what happens if you manage to fell the rest of my Pokémon in one move each?" She asked in a slightly flirtatious tone. She blushed at the thought of what she was saying. _(Am I sure that Tsuyoi is a worthy boy? No. He's not a boy. He's a young man, one as old as me. If he can meet my challenge, he's more than worthy.)_

"Challenge accepted," Tsuyoi replied, imperceptibly blushing under his mask. _(Looks like Sabrina's got something planned. Well, only one way to find out.)_

"Alakazam, let's go!" Sabrina yelled.

_"Let us see how strong you really are," _Alakazam said, glaring at Lucario, who glared back.

_"An overgrown brain on a weak body," _Lucario replied. _"I'd say I'm strong enough."_

Zoroark laughed at the jab. _"Burn!" _He yelled immaturely.

Ignoring him, the referee yelled, "Battle begin!"

_"[Alakazam, use Psychic!]" _Sabrina ordered.

_"[Shadow Ball,]" _Tsuyoi ordered at the same time. Lucario's Shadow Ball went faster than Alakazam's Psychic, hitting the Psi Pokémon square in the middle of its head. After being thrown back by the Shadow Ball, Alakazam collapsed to the ground, swirls replacing its eyes.

"Alakazam is unable to battle! Winner is Lucario!" The referee yelled.

_"Go, Lucario!"_ Zoroark yelled.

Clemont was still in shock. "I can't believe how fast that Shadow Ball went!" He gasped. "It went over 120 miles per hour!"

Everyone was stunned by that, even Sabrina. _(I can't believe how fast that Shadow Ball went, either,)_ she thought. _(I've never seen such fast reactions before. Wonder how fast he'll be able to react against my next Pokémon.)_ "So, Tsuyoi," she said out loud, "you ready to fight my last Pokémon?"

"Ready when you are," Tsuyoi replied.

"Latios, let's go!" Sabrina yelled.

_"Let's do this!"_ Latios yelled as he flew into position. He looked at Lucario, and remarked, _"You're tougher than you look. You'll be a worthy challenge."_

_"Same to you," _Lucario said flatly.

"This is gonna be a tough one," Bonnie said. "I've never seen that Pokémon before."

Ash lifted his PokéDex, which displayed an image of Latios. [Latios, the Eon Pokémon. Latios is highly intelligent, and can fly faster than a jet by tucking in its wings.] "Sabrina's stronger than I thought," Ash said out loud. "An Alakazam is one thing, but a Latios is another thing altogether."

"Indeed," Suisōgaku replied, "but remember, my brother was strong and clever enough to defeat 3 of your Pokémon while losing only one of his. I have no doubt that Tsuyoi will defeat Sabrina's Latios in one turn. How he will do it, well, that remains to be seen." Ash nodded, and turned back to the battle.

_"[Latios, use Double Team!]"_ Sabrina ordered. Latios created multiple images of himself, which began flying at high speeds around Lucario.

"How's he going to know which one's the real Latios?" Viola asked curiously. "Even I can't tell the difference between the real Latios and the images."

_"Lucario will find a way,"_ Zoroark replied with absolute confidence. _"Tsuyoi will help."_

_"[Latios, use Luster Purge!]"_ Sabrina ordered, attempting to take advantage of Double Team. Latios shot a purplish-pink beam of energy out of its mouth at Lucario.

Little did he know that Tsuyoi had unraveled the Double Team riddle, and the plan. _"[Lucario, use Bone Rush!]"_ He ordered. Lucario once again created a bone between her hands and jumped into the air. She saw the real Luster Purge coming at her, and wound up with her Bone Rush as if she were a baseball player.

"This could be it!" Viola said as the Luster Purge came closer to Lucario. Zoroark whimpered softly, worrying about what damage the move could do to Lucario. He didn't need to worry. Lucario used the Bone Rush to deflect the Luster Purge back at the original Latios. After being hit by its own attack, Latios crashed into the ground, and immediately passed out.

"Latios is unable to battle," the referee yelled. "Winner is Lucario, which means the winner of the match is the challenger Tsuyoi Kokoro!"

"Whoa! How'd he know which one was the real one?" Ash asked, astonished.

"Lucario must have been able to sense which one was real," Clemont replied. "Lucario is able to sense aura with its abilities."

"Indeed," Tsuyoi replied, turning to Ash and his friends. "I trained Rukario to sense Aura, which was easier done than said, considering that Rukario's kind naturally can do so."

Lucario looked at Zoroark, who was still staring at her with an infatuated look. _"Are all Zoroark this dorky around females?"_ She deadpanned.

"Probably not," Tsuyoi replied, amused at Lucario's words.

"Congratulations," Sabrina said, walking toward Tsuyoi with the Marshbadge in hand. "You certainly met the challenge I placed before you."

"I certainly did, it appears," Tsuyoi replied, accepting the Marshbadge. "Now, about that challenge. Might I ask what the reward is?"

Sabrina gave Tsuyoi a piece of paper with something written on it. "Meet me at the location on the paper at 7:30 PM," she said, "and don't be late. You can be early, though. If they give you any trouble, tell them you know me."

"I'll be there," Tsuyoi replied. He folded the paper up, put it in his pocket, and walked back to his friends, and Sabrina walked out of the room.

"Congratulations, Tsuyoi," Ash said. "You were great."

_"And you were great, too," _Zoroark said to Lucario, holding up his right paw for a high-five. Lucario coldly ignored him. _"What was that for?"_ Zoroark asked, having realized that he'd been left hanging.

_"I know that you've been giving me 'looks' ever since you first saw me,"_ Lucario replied, her voice growing even colder than usual, _"and I'm tired of it. I know what you're thinking, male, but I'm not interested. Okay? Leave me alone,"_ she said, deliberately pressing the button on her Pokéball and sealing herself in the ball. Zoroark stared dumbly at the ball, having a hard time understanding what had just happened.

"Better luck next time," Viola said to Zoroark. "Remember, girls don't like it if a guy is clingy and doesn't leave them alone." Zoroark nodded, and walked away.

"Well, what's the paper say?" Bonnie asked, curious.

"It's...a secret," Tsuyoi replied hesitantly.

A smirk appeared on Viola's face. "Well, if it's a date, it must be pretty important," she said.

"Who said it was a date?" Ash asked.

"What else would it be?" Serena asked. "Sabrina doesn't seem like the indecent type to me."

"I agree," Clemont added. "If you remove all potentially indecent activities from the list of possible events, a date is the only possibility. Where the date is, specifically, I can't tell for certain."

"Well, regardless of where it is, you're gonna need a new outfit, brother," Suisōgaku said. "Viola?"

"Consider it done," Viola said. She put her hands in front of her face as if simulating a photo. "I'll have you ready and looking sharp in time for the date."

Tsuyoi nodded. _"Very well,"_ he said, returning to telepathy. _"Let's get it done."_

As the two walked away, Serena looked at Ash with a slight blush on her face. _(I wish he would take me on a date,)_ she thought.

Ash looked at Serena, and noticed the blush on her face. "Are you okay?" He asked. "Your face is a little red."

"I'm fine," Serena replied, slightly frustrated that Ash hadn't deciphered the blush's meaning, but she was also happy that Ash noticed it and was concerned for her wellbeing. _(Well, gotta start somewhere,)_ she thought.

**-Saffron Mall-**

"Well, here we are: the Saffron Mall," Viola said.

Tsuyoi looked at the building in front of them, and nodded. _"Hope they have nice clothes,"_ he said.

"Judging by the place where Sabrina wants you to meet her, you might want a suit," Viola replied. "I saw the club while we were walking by, and let me tell you, that place looks fancy. They even have bouncers at the door to make sure that only the 'right people' get in. You just have to wear a suit. Not a cheap one, though. Not only does it look bad, it also shows that you don't care about your appearance. Since you're not like that, you'll want at least an average suit."

Tsuyoi nodded as they walked to the clothing department. They quickly found a store that sold good-quality suits for reasonable prices. Viola took Tsuyoi to a worker in the store to have him measured. "So," the store helper said, "are you here to get a suit for your boyfriend? You're a lady of good taste, then, wanting your boy to look his finest."

Viola laughed so hard she almost cried. "He's not _my_ boyfriend," she said. "He _does_ have a date tonight, though, so I want him to look his best."

The store helper nodded, and quickly completed the measurements. She checked said measurements on a nearby computer. "Good news," she said. "We've got the perfect suit for ... What's your name?"

_"Tsuyoi Kokoro,"_ Tsuyoi replied.

The store helper nodded, noting Tsuyoi's use of telepathy. "So, you're going on a date with _her_," she said. "The suit will be perfect for the date, then."

A few minutes later, Tsuyoi walked out of the changing room, dressed in his suit. _"D-do I look good?"_ He stuttered nervously.

Viola smiled widely, and took a picture with her camera. "You look perfect," she said. "It doesn't look like a cheap suit, and you'll be able to use it even at fancier places than where you're going." She looked at the clock. "And we found it at 1:15 PM, too. Plenty of time for you to get yourself ready."

Tsuyoi nodded, and retreated to the changing room to get back into his regular clothes. Viola paid for the suit, and the two left the mall, having accomplished the goal of finding acceptable date clothes for Tsuyoi. "Why do you usually use telepathy?" Viola asked Tsuyoi. "I know from experience that you can talk with your mouth."

_"I prefer telepathy,"_ Tsuyoi replied, _"but I can use verbal words with equal ease. I commonly communicate telepathically with my Pokémon, and I use the same mode to communicate with people."_

"Okay. Just wondering," Viola replied. They walked to the Pokémon Center, where Ash and his friends were waiting.

"So, how'd it go?" Serena asked. "Did you find what you were looking for?"

"We sure did, and it didn't even take that long," Viola replied. "It only took about ... oh, 15 minutes for me to get Tsuyoi a good suit at a cheap price." She started laughing. "The store helper actually thought Tsuyoi was my boyfriend."

Suisōgaku chuckled. "That is kinda funny," she said. "How did Tsuyoi react to the store helper's words?"

"He rolled his eyes, but didn't say anything," Viola replied. "Well, what do you guys want to do?" She asked.

"I want to have a battle with Clemont," Suisōgaku said. "I've got to make sure he hasn't gotten sloppy in battling."

"Better take that back," Clemont joked.

"Make me," Suisōgaku fired back, winking at him.

"Oh, cut it out, you two lovebirds," Viola said, laughing a little.

**-At the battlefield-**

"The battle between Suisōgaku and the Gym Leader Clemont will now begin. Each trainer may only use 2 Pokémon, and the battle will be decided when one trainer's Pokémon are unable to battle. Both participants are allowed to switch out Pokémon at will!" Viola cried.

"So, ready to go?" Clemont asked.

"Oh, I'm ready. Let's do this," Suisōgaku replied.

"Battle begin!"

"Bunnelby, let's go," Clemont yelled.

"[Oh, yeah. Let's do this!]" The rabbit-like Pokémon yelled as it jumped out of its Pokéball.

"Sylveon, come on out," Suisōgaku said in reply.

"[Yay! A battle!]" The Fairy-type Pokémon yelled happily.

"[Go, Sylveon!]" Dedenne shouted. Sylveon looked over, and smiled, causing the small mouse Pokémon to become infatuated with her.

"Oh, boy. Another Pokémon infatuated," Bonnie said.

"Well, hopefully Sylveon is nicer than Lucario," Viola replied.

_"That's a guarantee," _Tsuyoi replied. _"My sister's Pokémon are relatively kind in nature."_

"Bunnelby, use Mud Shot!" Clemont yelled. Bunnelby created a series of mud balls around its ears, and threw them at Sylveon. The Fairy-type Eeveelution (That's a real term, btw) dodged the attack with ease.

"Use Attract!" Suisōgaku said. With a soft giggle, Sylveon winked, and hearts appeared in the air around Sylveon before coming together on Bunnelby. The little rabbit was immediately infatuated.

"[Wow… Why'd I want to battle a cute female like her?]" Bunnelby muttered, too infatuated to dodge Sylveon's Tackle.

"What was that move?" Bonnie asked.

"It's a move called Attract. If the Pokémon using the move is a male and the target Pokémon is a female, or vice versa, the target Pokémon will become infatuated, and possibly unable to use any moves or dodge moves," Clemont explained. "There are exceptions, though."

"Like what?" Serena asked, curious.

"If the target Pokémon has the ability Oblivious, it's literally oblivious to Attract," Viola replied.

"[Sounds like that's Ash's ability,]" Pikachu quipped sarcastically, causing Dedenne to laugh loudly. Tsuyoi, understanding what Pikachu had said, chuckled silently.

"What's so funny, Dedenne?" Bonnie asked.

"I wish I knew," Serena said, "cuz whatever it was Pikachu said, it must've been funny." She looked over at Tsuyoi. "What _was_ Pikachu laughing about?"

_"He was joking that Oblivious must be Ash's ability,"_ Tsuyoi replied softly so only Serena would hear. _"From the sounds of it, Ash isn't very good at picking up on romantic cues given by ladies."_

"Ain't that the truth," Serena muttered.

Bunnelby stood there for a moment, and munched on a blue herb that it was holding. "A Mental Herb. Interesting," Suisōgaku said as the hearts faded from Bunnelby's eyes.

"Good job, Bunnelby. Use Dig," Clemont said. With a shout, the little rabbit-like Pokémon spun at high speeds and burrowed into the ground.

"Sylveon, stand your ground," Suisōgaku ordered.

"[Okay,]" Sylveon replied. She stood still, waiting for the rumble that meant the coming of Bunnelby's attack. She was not disappointed. Only a few moments later, Bunnelby started to move to the surface. He launched his attack, but Sylveon dodged it.

"Use Bite," Suisōgaku said. Before Clemont or Bunnelby could react, Sylveon bit down on Bunnelby's right ear, and tossed him to the side. She ran quickly and intercepted Bunnelby midair with a Tackle attack. Bunnelby hit the ground, and immediately passed out.

"Bunnelby is unable to battle! Winner is Sylveon!" Viola yelled.

"Hooray!" Serena yelled. "Go get 'em, Suisōgaku!"

"Bunnelby, return," Clemont said as he recalled Bunnelby. "You did well, buddy. Take a good, long rest." He looked up at Suisōgaku. "Good job. It's been a while since I faced a tough opponent. Still, I'm not going to lose!"

"Neither will I!" Suisōgaku exclaimed.

"Chespin, let's go!" Clemont yelled.

"[Hooray! A battle!]" Chespin yelled.

"Battle begin!"

"Chespin, use Vine Whip!" Clemont ordered. Vines sprouted from Chespin's back, and flew toward Sylveon.

"Dodge, and use Hidden Power!" Suisōgaku said. Sylveon gracefully dodged the Vine Whip, and fired a group of greenish spheres with white centers at Chespin.

"Dodge," Clemont said. Chespin tried its best to dodge, but got hit by most of the attack, and passed out.

"Chespin is unable to battle! Winner is Sylveon, which means the winner of this match is Suisōgaku!" Viola proclaimed.

"[YAY! We won!]" Sylveon yelled, excited.

"Good job, Sylveon," Suisōgaku said happily, giving the Fairy-type Eeveelution a hug.

"You did well, Chespin," Clemont said to Chespin as he recalled it. "Take a good, long rest."

"That was a good battle," Suisōgaku said, walking over to Clemont. "You certainly haven't gotten sloppy in battling, I see." She gave him a hug, and then kissed him.

"Ew," Bonnie said, covering her eyes. "That's gross. Why do they do that?"

Viola laughed softly. "Someday, you'll understand, Bonnie," she said as Clemont and Suisōgaku walked over, holding hands. "Someday."

"Understand what?" Clemont asked.

"Why you and Suisōgaku enjoy putting your lips together like that," Bonnie replied.

Suisōgaku and Clemont looked at each other, and laughed. "You'll understand why when you're older," Clemont replied. Suisōgaku nodded in agreement.

"So, is my brother ready for his date?" Suisōgaku asked Viola.

"He is," Viola replied. "His hair's already short enough that we don't need to go to a barbershop to get it cut. Plus, the suit's already been paid for, so yes, he's definitely ready." She looked at Tsuyoi. "Nervous?" She asked.

_"Very,"_ Tsuyoi replied softly. _"More than I was when I fought Deoxys."_

"You'll do _fine_," Viola assured him. "Just be yourself. If there's one kind of guy a woman hates, it's a guy who is fake and doesn't act like himself."

Tsuyoi nodded, and went inside the Pokémon Center, Bonnie and Viola following him while they gave him more advice. "You know, your name's a bit of a mouthful," Clemont said to Suisōgaku. "Ever thought of going by a nickname, or something like that?"

"I've thought about it, but never really came up with anything," Suisōgaku replied.

"How 'bout 'Suzy'?"

Suisōgaku paused for the moment, letting the nickname roll around her head for a bit. "I like it," she said after a minute of thinking.

"Suzy it is, then," Clemont said, smiling as Suisōgaku kissed him happily, both of them forgetting that they weren't alone.

Nearby, Serena and Ash were watching the events. _(I wish Ash would do that with me,)_ Serena thought. Ash stood there, stunned by what he was seeing.

**_And so, another exciting day in the life of Ash Ketchum and his friends has begun to draw to a close. Tsuyoi looks forward to his date with the Saffron City Gym Leader Sabrina, and Serena hopes to someday go on a date with Ash. However, it's not all sunshine and roses, for there is darkness approaching…_**

"Have you located the unusually strong Psychic?" Giovanni asked impatiently.

_"I am unable to pinpoint his exact location, master,"_ Night-walker replied. _"He is somewhere around Saffron City. I will admit that from what I've managed to see of his power, he possesses incredible amounts of psychic strength. I am not sure if I would be able to beat him in a Psychic duel."_

"Do you know of any relations the Psychic might have?" Giovanni inquired, growing more impatient.

_"He has a sister who goes by the name of Suisōgaku, and I suspect that he might have some sort of romantic attraction toward the Gym Leader Sabrina,"_ Night-walker replied nervously. _"I am unable to gain a strong enough connection to read the youth's mind, but I believe that he is not of this Region. He might be of the Sinnoh Region, for all I know."_

Giovanni nodded. "Good job, Night-walker. I will speak with Cyrus and Ghetsis to see if they know anything about this unknown element. He must be removed from the equation for my plan to succeed." The leader of Team Rocket walked away, satisfied with what Night-walker had found. The Dark Deoxys had proven to be a valuable asset to Team Rocket, including the fact that the Pokémon would never rebel against its master the way Mewtwo did. _(Why do I get the feeling that Mewtwo isn't entirely gone?)_ Giovanni wondered.

**WOW! Took a long while to type, but I hope that you, the reader, enjoyed the work I put into it. Like I said in the beginning note, I am indebted to those who review my fanfics. Without them, my drive to write lessens, so please, review this chapter and be sure to tell all your friends about this fanfic. Reviews are always appreciated, unless they're like the review posted by Agent BM. I cannot accept spam reviews, and for that reason, Agent BM is permanently blocked from my profile. He has no one to blame but himself.**


	5. How It All Began

**Hello, there. I take it that since you're reading this, you've read one, two, or all of the previous chapters. I hope you enjoyed them. I know a large number of people enjoyed the last chapter. Before I get any further, I would like to acknowledge those kind enough to review:**

**Princess Kawaii Shion: I'm glad you enjoyed the kiss scene. I'm not experienced in writing fluff, but I'm learning, and I appreciate the suggestions you gave in PM. They helped out a lot.**

**Wild Colors: I'm glad you enjoyed this fanfic, and it was suggested by a fellow fanfic writer that I shorten Suisōgaku to Suzy, which I'll use to identify Suisōgaku from now on. Less problematic for the spellcheck, which gets tripped up by Suisōgaku's accented '_ō_'. Battle scenes are definitely a joy for me to write.**

**SuperHeroTimeFan: I'm glad you loved the battle scenes. I always make sure to read them over carefully to ensure that I didn't miss any details.**

**latinoheat151: I know. Ash needs a girlfriend. Why the TV show hasn't done this, I am not entirely sure, but I think it's something about Pokémon being a kids' show, but then again, Teen Titans was a kids' show, and one of the characters, Raven, was half-interdimensional demon, which definitely does not belong in a kids' show, but I digress.**

**I sincerely hope you all appreciate the hard work I put into doing this fanfic. It's one thing to type about something you love, but it's another to type _good_ about that something, even if it takes time to type it out. Also, I'm always open to suggestions and advice. If you feel my story is lacking in quality, or if you have some suggestions as to how I may improve this fanfic, PM me. I will take your advice and apply it to the best of my ability. Also, there will be a bathhouse scene in this chapter, so there will be some nudity (but no lemons). If that makes you uncomfortable, look for the indicators showing where the scene begins and ends.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon, but if I did, Ash would have a girlfriend, and there certainly would be more mention of specialized Pokémon breeding to get certain moves.**

**Now, the Journey Continues!**

**Chapter 5: How Everything Was Set Into Motion**

"…" talking/Psychic conversation in flashback

_(…) thoughts/flashbacks_

_[…] Private psychic link_

[…] Private psychic link during flashback

"[…]" Pokémon speaking

_"…" Psychic conversation_

_([…])_ Mewtwo and Tsuyoi's Mind-Link

_"…"_ Black Mewtwo Tsuyoi speaking

**_After a quick trek from Vermillion City, Ash and his friends encountered the legendary Ninja Tsuyoi. Ash challenged him to a rematch, and was successful in defeating Tsuyoi's Salamence with a devastating Hyper Beam/Flying Giga Impact combo from Snorlax, one of the heaviest Pokémon known. However, our hero was unable to prevail against the Ninja, who later became a traveling companion. On the road, they met a Zoroark from Ash's past who bore ill news about the plans of Giovanni, leader of Team Rocket. Only moments later, they were met by Sabrina, the Psychic-type Gym Leader of Saffron City, whom Mewtwo had died defending. After defeating her in a three-on-three match with his superfast Lucario, Tsuyoi was invited by Sabrina to go on a date with her to a high-end restaurant. Meanwhile, Suisōgaku, otherwise known as Suzy, defeated her boyfriend Clemont in a two-on-two Pokémon match! Now, as the time for the date approaches, there's love and nervousness in the air…_**

_"A-are you certain this is a good idea?"_ Tsuyoi stuttered nervously.

"I'm sure of it, Onii-chan," Suzy replied happily as she made sure her brother was looking perfect for the date. "You're dressed sharp, like a true gentleman, and your date's a fellow Psychic-type Trainer, so you're perfect for the date. Besides, I'm quite certain that Sabrina's as nervous as you are, if not more."

"Besides, as long as you're not faking who you are, you'll do great," Viola added, combing Tsuyoi's hair. Since the pale ninja didn't have long hair, it was easy to maintain. After a few minutes, Viola stepped back to view her masterpiece. "You look perfect," she said with a smile. "Sabrina will definitely like this look."

Tsuyoi nodded nervously, receiving the compliment with a small smile. _(Why am I so nervous? It's not a Pokémon match. It's just a date,)_ he thought in his head. He quickly realized why he was so nervous. He was in love with the Psychic Gym Leader, and had been that way since he'd met her about 4 months prior. He knew Viola was right. Sabrina was as nervous as he.

Over in the Saffron City Gym, Sabrina was getting the last of her predate preparations ready. Since her hair was much longer than Tsuyoi's, it took longer for her to brush it. She usually did it by herself, but this time, since she felt she had less time to work with, Alakazam was using its Psychic to help her make sure the long hair was properly brushed. Normally, Sabrina exuded an unnerving aura of confidence, but this time, she felt extremely nervous, something that was quite foreign to her.

_"Is something amiss, mistress?"_ Alakazam asked, pausing for a moment to examine a small knot close to the end of Sabrina's hair. _"You seem quite nervous, something I know you usually aren't."_

"I'm fine," Sabrina replied softly. "I'm just extremely nervous about this date." Having been obsessed with increasing her psychic power for most of her life, Sabrina had only recently beginning to open up to people, starting with forming friendships with her fellow Gym Leaders. To her relief, Brock had made no attempts to hit on her, only saying that he was glad to see her. Still, Sabrina had no romantic experience at all, and also zero sexual experience. She'd never even looked up smutty websites in her life.

_"You'll do fine, mistress," _Alakazam assured her. _"Tsuyoi himself is also nervous about the date, and if someone possessing as much power as him is nervous about a date, then your nervousness about the same event is logical,"_ he added in a Spock-like fashion.

Sabrina nodded and smiled at her reflection in the mirror. She'd picked a purple dress to help bring out her eyes, and it looked beautiful on her. The dress showed a little cleavage, but no more. Sabrina didn't want to appear indecent. "You did a wonderful job," she said to Alakazam, feeling her hair. It was silky smooth, even smoother than usual. "It's so soft."

Alakazam smiled in satisfaction and looked at the clock. _"Better hurry, mistress. It is 7:00,"_ he said. Sabrina nodded, and teleported to the restaurant. The bouncers let her in. They had no reason not to, considering she was the Saffron City Gym Leader.

At 7:25, Tsuyoi walked from the Pokémon Center to the restaurant. He walked nervously, aware that the dark blue suit he wore caused his pale skin to stand out. He got more than a few looks from people walking past him. _(Must be because I'm not from here,)_ Tsuyoi mused as he came across the restaurant he'd been looking for. _(The Twisted Spoon. This must be the place,)_ he thought, glancing down at the piece of paper that Sabrina had given to him. As predicted, there were bouncers posted at the door. They were well-dressed, a sign that only those with proper connections would get past the door. As Tsuyoi approached the door, the two muscular bouncers moved to block him. "Name?" The taller of the two asked.

_"My name is Tsuyoi Kokoro,"_ Tsuyoi replied. Seeing no change on the faces of the bouncers, he lowered his voice and added, _"Sabrina waits for me in that establishment behind you. It would not be to your advantage to keep her waiting."_

The shorter bouncer pressed a finger to the earpiece he had, and listened to what the person on the other side of the device said. He nodded, and motioned for his comrade to step aside. "Your story checks out. Welcome to the Twisted Spoon, Mr. Kokoro," he said.

Tsuyoi nodded, and entered, moving aside the Psychic Lock with a wave of his hand. The room he walked into had a deep purple-red carpet with matching wallpaper, and from the appearances of the booths he could see, it appeared to be a traditional Japanese restaurant. The restaurant was packed, and there was a line. Tsuyoi waited silently in line until it was his turn. "Name?" The hostess asked.

_"Tsuyoi-"_ Tsuyoi started, but he was interrupted by a shout nearby.

"There you are," a familiar voice said as she made her way to Tsuyoi, who couldn't believe what he was seeing. Sabrina looked so beautiful, Tsuyoi thought he was dreaming for a moment. "I've been looking all over for you." The Psychic Gym Leader took a moment to look over her date. He looked very handsome in his suit, which did a good job of highlighting the muscles in his arms, which were surprisingly strong for a Psychic User.

"Is he with you?" The hostess asked, interested. There'd been a couple rumors circulating that Sabrina had a secret boyfriend, and she was eager to see if those rumors had any truth to them.

"Yes, he is," Sabrina replied.

"And no. I am not interested_,"_ Tsuyoi replied, causing the hostess to blush in embarrassment. She didn't know how Tsuyoi had read her mind.

Sabrina chuckled as she led Tsuyoi to her table. It was on the second floor, where the only people there were the ones who could afford it, or their guests. "How _did_ you read that hostess's mind?" Sabrina asked Tsuyoi. "You couldn't have embarrassed her like that if you had just used words you'd heard on the street."

Tsuyoi smiled nervously. "Having Mewtwo in my head has its benefits," he said, tapping the side of his head as he sat down on the mat.

"So, what's it like, having one of the most powerful Psychic Pokémon living in your mind?" Sabrina asked after she was settled. "Does it hurt?"

"It only hurt when he first entered my mind," Tsuyoi admitted, "but that was because my mind's innate defenses were resisting him. Now, it doesn't hurt to have him in my mind because my subconscious knows that he's an ally."

A waitress dressed in a kimono walked into their booth and asked them if they wanted any drinks. Sabrina asked for green tea, while Tsuyoi went with alcohol-free sake, even though regular sake was legal for a person of his age to drink. (A/N: I don't know the minimum drinking age in the Kanto Region, but I'm placing it at about 16.) "Why did you go with the alcohol-free sake?" Sabrina asked. "You're old enough to drink the hard stuff."

"Do you really want someone like me drinking alcohol?" Tsuyoi deadpanned, causing Sabrina to chuckle slightly.

"No, I don't really," she said. She sighed softly, carefully choosing her words. "Tsuyoi, about last time…" She started.

"What about it?" Tsuyoi asked, curious. "We were in a Gym Leader meeting, you said you weren't interested in a relationship, and I said the same thing."

"Well… thing is," Sabrina said, staring downward, "I've ch-changed my mind… about that."

"About what?" Tsuyoi asked.

"About my lack of interest in a romantic relationship," Sabrina said, raising her head slightly. Her cheeks were red. "I've … got a bit of a crush on someone."

"Who?" Tsuyoi asked.

Sabrina managed to raise her head and looked Tsuyoi in the eye. "It's you," she said. "I've had a slight crush on you since we last met, and meeting you today, with both of us having much different attitudes than we previously had, made me remember those feelings of love I have for you. I've had more than enough time to think it over, to debate as to whether or not my feelings were merely the manifestation of simple affection, or if they were something more. I've come to this conclusion: I love you, Tsuyoi Kokoro," she admitted. Suddenly, she realized what she'd just said, and put her hands over her mouth as if trying to avoid saying anything else embarrassing. "S-sorry," she said. "I don't k-know why I s-said that."

"You mean … … you don't love me?" Tsuyoi asked, sounding slightly hurt.

"No, no, no, no, no, no! I didn't mean it like that," Sabrina replied in a panic. "I _do_ love you. I just don't know why I just blurted out everything like that." After ordering some high-end sushi, the couple continued with their conversation. "I know I love you, but do you love me?" Sabrina asked softly, hoping and praying that he would say "yes".

Tsuyoi nodded, and smiled reassuringly. "I do love you, Sabrina Natsume," he said. "That is why I got this for you." He pulled out something from his pocket. It was a pink, diamond-like jewel: a Psychic Gem. "It was on sale when Viola was helping me pick out a good suit for tonight," he said, handing the Gem to Sabrina. "I bought it when she wasn't looking."

"She definitely knows her clothes," Sabrina replied as she looked over the Psychic Gem after glancing again at Tsuyoi's clothes. It wasn't a cheap, plastic knockoff. It was the real thing, not that she expected anything less from Tsuyoi, the trainer rumored to have one of the most powerful Psychic Pokémon in his possession. "It's beautiful," she said, smiling at Tsuyoi.

"Not as beautiful as you," Tsuyoi said with a smile, making Sabrina blush like a teenager with her first crush, which wasn't far off, considering that she was in her late teens and Tsuyoi was her first crush.

"Dork," she muttered under her breath. She noticed a slight note of apprehension in Tsuyoi's emotions, an apprehension that had nothing to do with the date. "Something troubling you?" She asked.

"Yes," Tsuyoi replied, dropping his voice so that only Sabrina could hear. "Giovanni won't give up until he holds Saffron City, the center of the Kanto Region, in his grasp. I also have more details about that Dark Deoxys clone. Mewtwo tells me that Night-walker was created by combining Deoxys DNA with Zoroark DNA. He cannot appear to transform into anyone or anything else, but he's still extremely dangerous because he has the ability to change formes in battle, just like a real Deoxys."

Sabrina nodded. "Even Mewtwo couldn't defeat him," she said softly.

"That's not all I have to tell you," Tsuyoi added sadly.

"What is it?" Sabrina asked.

"I'm … a mutant," Tsuyoi admitted, not looking Sabrina in the eye. "When I was younger, around 11, I'd journeyed here to the Kanto Region to see if I could find any interesting opponents I could duel with using my Psychic abilities. I would fight anyone who would challenge me, and I always won. I suppose it was only a matter of time before Team Rocket learned of me. Giovanni, posing as the Viridian City Gym Leader, tricked me into walking into a trap, promising me I'd duel with a truly powerful Psychic. After I was captured, Giovanni had me transferred to one of the hidden labs Team Rocket has scattered across the Kanto and Johto Regions. There, I was injected with DNA isolated from a Mew Fossil, mutating me into a Pokémon/Human hybrid. I used my newly augmented Psychic abilities to break out of the lab, and fled back home to the Kalos Region. There, I became obsessed with honing my Psychic abilities."

"Just like me, originally," Sabrina mused. She looked at Tsuyoi, and saw that he was trying hard not to cry. She shuffled over to him, and gave him a hug.

"What are you doing?" Tsuyoi asked, shocked. He'd just told Sabrina his secret, a secret that should've sent her running.

"I don't care whether or not you're a mutant," Sabrina said, hugging him close. She looked up at him, and there were tears coming from her eyes. "I sensed there was something different about you when we first met, and I didn't care back then, and I care even less now. I don't care that you're not all human. Tsuyoi, I love you," she confessed. To Tsuyoi's surprise, she leaned toward him and kissed him gently on the lips. Tsuyoi stiffened in surprise. He hadn't thought that Sabrina would do such a thing, but he couldn't complain. Enjoying the experience, he gave her a hug, pulling her closer so she didn't have to lean so far in order to kiss him. Sabrina blushed at the movement, but kept her eyes closed as she enjoyed her first kiss. After a few minutes, the two came apart for air. Sabrina opened her eyes, breathing heavily. She smiled when she saw Tsuyoi was also breathing hard. "You … look cute when you're … out of breath," Sabrina said, her face becoming even redder.

Tsuyoi smiled at the remark. Suddenly, his smile vanished, replaced by a brief moment of panic. "Get down!" He said, shoving Sabrina to the ground before she could do anything, covering her protectively with his body. A Hyper Beam blasted through, piercing their booth and barely missing Tsuyoi's back.

"What was that?" Sabrina asked, startled.

Tsuyoi looked out of the hole the Hyper Beam had burned through the shop and saw a Tyranitar seemingly standing on thin air. A moment's observation proved otherwise, and Tsuyoi caught a brief glimpse of a black Normal Forme Deoxys moving past the hole just before the Tyranitar fired another Hyper Beam. _(Oh, crap,)_ Tsuyoi thought as he redirected the beam back at the Tyranitar, successfully hitting it in the face. "We have to get out of here," he said to Sabrina. "There's no way we can escape Night-walker, but if we can disable the wild Tyranitar he's utilizing, he will have no choice but to flee or fight us."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Sabrina asked, standing up after placing enough money on the table to cover the dinner. "Let's get out of here." Tsuyoi nodded, and guided Sabrina outside. A large number of trainers had apparently had the same idea as Tsuyoi, but none were successful. Tsuyoi and Sabrina watched as a Trainer's Mega Y Charizard (Ability: Drought) used Solarbeam. The wild Tyranitar dodged the powerful attack and threw glowing white stones at the Mega Pokémon, knocking it out instantly.

"That was AncientPower," Sabrina noted.

_"Indeed,"_ Tsuyoi agreed, switching to telepathy as the Tyranitar decimated a line of Mega Salamences with Outrage. _"Tyranitar's stronger than it looks if it knows those moves."_

Knowing what he was about to do, Sabrina gave her first boyfriend a quick kiss on the cheek. "For courage," she said.

Tsuyoi smiled, and walked forward. _([Mewtwo, are you ready?])_ He asked.

_([Yes, I am,])_ the Genetic Pokémon said.

Tsuyoi approached the Tyranitar as it threw a barrage of Hyper Beams at the Mega Alakazams levitating around it. Sabrina watched the scene fearfully, noting that it looked just like a movie she'd seen once where a lone Psychic Trainer took on a Hydreigon with nothing but his wits. The Dark/Dragon had managed to decimate all who opposed it, but had been defeated when the Psychic tricked it into moving into a small alleyway where the Dragon couldn't levitate away, where the police found and captured it. Tsuyoi walked so that he was right in front of the Tyranitar, and yelled, _"Bangiras, your fight's with me!"_

Surprised at the bravery of this human it didn't know, Tyranitar froze, looking confused. Night-walker, too, was briefly confused, but laughed. _"You honestly think that you can defeat my Tyranitar by yourself? Have you not seen the opponents Tyranitar has defeated? He has defeated Mega Evolved Pokémon. What chance do you have, human?"_ He asked contemptuously. Tsuyoi remained silent, which Night-walker took to be a sign of fear. _"What's the matter, human? Too scared to fight? Tyranitar, attack!"_ He yelled, switching to Attack Forme. Tsuyoi stood his ground as the Tyranitar charged up a massive Hyper Beam barrage.

"Why doesn't he move?" Ash asked. "Doesn't he know that those Hyper Beams could kill him?" He'd arrived when the Tyranitar had begun its attack and tried to intervene, but had been quickly defeated. He'd also lost the Full Restore that had been given to him by Foodin, so he could do nothing but watch the scene unfold like a dramatic movie.

"He's got a plan," Sabrina said, hand on the Pokéball containing her newest Pokémon. "I trust him. Where are the others?"

"They're trying to get the police, but that Deoxys thing appears to have some friends keeping them from breaking through," Ash said nervously, noting that Tsuyoi was doing nothing while the Tyranitar charged up its attack. He was worried about his friends, even more so about Serena. He couldn't admit it out loud, even in his thoughts, but he'd had a bit of a crush on the brown-haired Kalosian Trainer for a few months, now.

Sabrina picked one of the Pokéballs off her belt and gave it to Ash. "Take this Pokémon," she said. "He'll help you get through to your friends."

Ash nodded. "Pokémon, go!" He said. To his surprise, out came the same Latios that had fallen to Tsuyoi's Lucario. The Eon Pokémon scooped Ash up, placed him on its back, and flew off. Hearing a loud roar, Sabrina turned back to the battle to see the Tyranitar shoot a massive Hyper Beam at Tsuyoi.

_"This is the end of you!"_ Night-walker yelled.

"No!" Sabrina yelled. To her relief, the massive Hyper Beam was condensed into a brightly glowing sphere.

_"On the contrary,"_ Tsuyoi replied, holding the Hyper Beam over Tyranitar's head with his Psychic, _"it's only just begun."_ He expanded the Hyper Sphere to 3 meters wide (close to 10 feet), and shouting _"Hyper Bomb!"_ dropped the sphere-shaped Hyper Beam on Tyranitar's head, causing a massive explosion. Shrapnel was kicked up by the immense detonation, but none of the bystanders were injured, a Psychic field deflecting any shrapnel before it could hit. When the dust cleared, Night-walker had vanished, leaving behind a knocked out Tyranitar. Tsuyoi, looking only slightly scratched up by debris, pulled a green and yellow Ultra Ball off his belt and threw it. _"Pokéball, go!"_ He shouted. The ball hit the Tyranitar and opened, swallowing the Rock/Dark Pokémon. Hitting the ground, the ball rocked back and forth, the button flickering red. After a few moments of unbearable tension, the ball made a soft "dong" noise. The Tyranitar had been captured. Tsuyoi picked up the Pokéball and promptly called Tyranitar out. The weary Pokémon stood before him as he examined it. He reached into his ever-present bag, and pulled out a Sitrus Berry, and had the Tyranitar eat it. He determined that nothing unusual had happened to the Tyranitar, but that Night-walker had used the move Hypnosis to get the Tyranitar to obey him, something that troubled Tsuyoi. _"Are you okay, Bangiras?"_ Tsuyoi asked.

"[I will be fine, master,]" the Tyranitar said as it ate the Sitrus Berry.

Tsuyoi nodded. _"I'll get you to the Pokémon Center right away,"_ he promised. _"I need to be sure I didn't injure you with that Hyper Bomb, and that the effects of that Hypnosis have worn off."_ He recalled Tyranitar, and was promptly swarmed by hordes of women wanting to kiss the hero who'd saved them. Tsuyoi kept them back with a Psychic barrier. _"Would you _please _get off of me?!"_ The Psychic Ninja protested. _"I've already got a girlfriend!"_

The teenage girls backed off, asking amongst themselves "Who is the 'lucky' girl?"

"Well, who is it?" One asked, looking like she was more than ready to tear apart the girl who already had Tsuyoi's heart.

_"She prefers to remain anonymous,"_ Tsuyoi replied, cautiously lowering his Psychic Shield.

Sabrina, seeing her opportunity, walked up to him and planted a kiss right on his lips for all to see. Silence was immediate, and it was so quiet, you could've heard a leaf drop. After she pulled away, Sabrina gave the crowd a death glare that would scare even a Gengar, and said, "He's mine!" A number of the girls there ran home crying, while others simply accepted that their hero was out of reach. Walking away, the young couple soon made their way to the Pokémon Center, where Tyranitar was thoroughly examined.

Contrary to what Tsuyoi had feared, Officer Jenny didn't arrest him, but gave him a stern lecturing for using excessive force. "Just don't make a habit of doing that," the greenish-blue-haired officer said sternly. "You were lucky no one was injured."

_"Luck had nothing to do with it, Officer Jenny,"_ Tsuyoi replied. _"I made sure I had a Psychic Shield in place to keep shrapnel from injuring the bystanders, but I see your point. Granted, I know the Hyper Bomb was excessive, but I didn't know if my Psychic Shield could hold a Rock/Dark like Tyranitar for long. The Hyper Bomb, I knew that I could hold the excess energy and shrapnel back."_

Officer Jenny nodded, satisfied with Tsuyoi's response, and went to the police station to file a report. Sabrina walked over to Tsuyoi and intertwined her fingers in his. "Are you okay?" She asked, worried.

Before Tsuyoi could say anything, Suzy and Clemont ran up. "Onii-chan, Serena and Ash are gone!" Suzy cried out.

_"Who took them?!"_ Tsuyoi asked angrily.

"That black Deoxys thing," Clemont replied. "It knocked out all of Ash's Pokémon, including the Latios that Sabrina let him borrow, and did the same thing with Serena's Pokémon before knocking them both out and taking them away!"

Tsuyoi took an Ultra Ball off his belt. _"Champion of the stars, arise,"_ he said.

Deoxys came out of its ball in Normal Forme. As soon as it saw Sabrina, it switched to Defense Forme. _"[Mission: Defend?]"_ It asked as Bonnie and Viola ran up.

Tsuyoi nodded. _"Defend this building. If any enemies get in here, use all necessary force to keep them out."_

_"[Lethal force authorized?]"_ The space-born Pokémon asked nervously, shifting to Attack Forme.

"What's going on here?" Bonnie asked, scared by the Deoxys' words.

_"Lethal force not authorized,"_ Tsuyoi said sharply, and Deoxys shifted to Normal Forme, visibly relieved. _"Lethal force is only to be used in the direst of circumstances, and now's not one of them."_

"How are you going to catch up to them?" Sabrina asked. "Using your abilities?"

"Something like that," Tsuyoi replied, closing his eyes in concentration. _([Are you ready, friend?]) _He asked Mewtwo.

_([Ready when you are,])_ The Genetic Pokémon replied. Clemont, Suzy, and Sabrina watched, astonished, as Tsuyoi's legs elongated, becoming slightly bulkier in the thighs, and losing all but two of the toes on his feet, the same process occurring on his hands, leaving him with two fingers and a thumb on each hand. His head bulged and reshaped until it resembled Mewtwo's head, complete with blunt spikes on the side. A long tail appeared from Tsuyoi's tailbone, one that had a large bulb-like end to it. His clothes seemed to vanish, and his shoulder-blades widened, going over the front of his collarbone. A tube sprouted from between Tsuyoi's shoulders and plugged itself into the back of his head. As this happened, Tsuyoi's skin darkened drastically. Even though the process was complicated, it only took 5 seconds to carry itself out to completion. The result: A tall, black Mewtwo standing before them.

"Wh-what are you?" Clemont asked, scared. He stood in front of Suzy and Bonnie, as if he was going to protect them from this being in front of him.

Suzy placed her hand on her boyfriend's shoulders. "It's okay, Clemont," she said, smiling at him. "I've seen my brother transform before. It's still him, just in another forme."

Tsuyoi nodded, speaking in a deeper voice. _"Now, I am in a forme better suited for the pursuit of Night-walker. Until we meet again…"_ He teleported away, leaving behind a stunned Clemont, an indifferent Deoxys, a shocked Suzy (she didn't know her transformed brother could teleport), a passed-out Bonnie (the shock of seeing Tsuyoi transform was too much for her), a surprised Viola (she'd been so stunned by Tsuyoi's transformation that she didn't take any pictures), and an awed Sabrina. _(Mewtwo said he'd try to find a guardian. Thank God he found Tsuyoi,)_ the Psychic Gym Leader thought.

Floating above Saffron City's tallest building, Silph Co. headquarters, Black Mewtwo Tsuyoi gazed out over the city and the surrounding area. _([I sense him,])_ Mewtwo said abruptly, turning Tsuyoi's focus away from the city. _([We can teleport to where we will be in his path and surprise him. We will then be able to rescue Ash and Serena, and return them to the Pokémon Center, where they will be properly cared for. Though, what if they are conscious when we save them?])_ The Genetic Pokémon inquired.

_([I tell them that this is me in an alternate forme once we defeat Night-walker,])_ Tsuyoi replied simply. _([You know as well as I do, perhaps even better than I, that Clemont, Bonnie, Viola, and most importantly, Sabrina, accept that I am capable of transformation, and still consider me a friend. My beloved sister already knew of my transformation, so she's had more time to adjust to that knowledge. Now, time to see how powerful this Dark Deoxys is,])_ he ended, teleporting into the path of Night-walker.

The Speed Forme Dark Deoxys was running at top speed, ignoring the demands of the humans that he free them. _(Are all teenaged humans this annoying?)_ He wondered in his mind. His wonderings were soon put to an end by a Shadow Ball hitting him in the face, causing the Psychic he'd been using to hold Ash and Serena in place to fade. Frustrated, Night-walker attempted to pursue them, but the figure who'd hit him teleported so that he was separated from his quarry. There was something unsettlingly familiar about the figure. The dark color of the figure made it hard to determine its identity by physical standards, but its mind felt very familiar, unsettlingly familiar. _"Who are you?"_ He demanded, switching to Attack Forme.

_"I am your worst nightmare,"_ the figure before him said. _"I am the one you fear, in the forme you dread the most."_

_"Dread?"_ Night-walker echoed. He laughed derisively. _"Don't you know anything? I killed Mewtwo with my own two hands,"_ he boasted.

_"You did not,"_ the figure replied, moving into the light, causing Night-walker to step back involuntarily in surprise at what he saw. _"You merely utilized a long-range attack to mortally wound Mewtwo because you were too scared to confront him face to face. Now, you have that opportunity, Night-Walker."_

"Wh-who a-are you?" Ash asked, standing in front of Serena.

_"You may know me as Black Mewtwo,"_ the figure said, settling into a fighting stance. _"Care to try and fight me, Faker? That is, if you've got the cojones for it,"_ the figure added with a telepathic smirk, irking Night-walker.

_"You watch your words,"_ the Dark Deoxys growled, throwing a high-powered Shadow Ball at Black Mewtwo. The Mewtwo-like figure's eyes glowed, and the Shadow Ball sped back toward Night-walker, who barely dodged it by switching to Speed Forme. He tried running toward Ash and Serena, but Black Mewtwo hit him in the gut with an Iron Tail, following it up with a Shadow Ball to the chest crystal. Dazed by the hit to his brain, Night-walker stumbled around for a few seconds before recovering. Angry, he shifted to Attack Forme Deoxys and threw a massive Hyper Beam at the figure.

"Look out!" Ash yelled. He had to resist the urge to risk his chances and try to put this Black Mewtwo in a Pokéball so that it wouldn't be injured by the Hyper Beam. Black Mewtwo simply raised his right hand, and the beam exploded into a multicolored beam of harmless light upon impact with it. Ash and Serena were astonished, but not more so than Night-walker.

_"How?"_ Night-walker asked. _"Where do you have this power? Answer me!"_ He demanded.

_"The true power comes from within, and can only be accessed when the user has come to terms with their weaknesses and strengths, and embraces them both_," Black Mewtwo replied as the beam dissipated. "_You have failed to fully embrace your strengths and weaknesses. Thus, your power is diminished."_

_"Impossible,"_ Night-walker spat out.

_"With man, many things are impossible. With God, all things are possible,"_ Black Mewtwo replied.

Ash's expression turned from shocked to thoughtful. _(Where have I heard that before?)_ He thought. Suddenly, he remembered that Suzy herself had said the same line when she'd brought news of Tsuyoi dueling against the Tyranitar. _(But that can't be Suzy. This one's a guy,)_ he thought.

_"Now, begone,"_ Black Mewtwo said, shooting a super-powered Hyper Beam from his hands in a Hadoken-like fashion at Night-walker. The Dark Deoxys shifted to Defense Forme and attempted to deflect the Hyper Beam with Protect, but the mystic green field quickly shattered under the onslaught of the Hyper Beam, throwing Night-walker very far into the air, further than the highest Team Rocket had been thrown. Black Mewtwo nodded, satisfied that Night-walker was too far away to be of any worry.

As Black Mewtwo turned around, Ash moved so that he stood in front of Serena. "Stay back," he warned, "or I will-"

_"You'll what? Fight me hand-to-hand?"_ Black Mewtwo asked coldly, moving closer.

In response, Ash moved forward, ready for a fight. "I'm glad that you saved us, but you're not hurting Serena or Pikachu."

Black Mewtwo smiled, and chuckled softly. _"I think your 'girlfriend' is able to fight for herself,"_ he said, placing emphasis on the word 'girlfriend' as he moved even closer.

A blue sphere of Aura appeared in Ash's hand. "I'm warning you," he threatened. "I've got plenty of these, and I'll use as many as I can to defend Serena."

Black Mewtwo shook his head. _"You have not the experience nor the amount of Aura necessary,"_ he replied, noting Serena's lack of surprise at the appearance of the Aura Sphere. _"Besides, would you attack a friend?"_ He asked, allowing his voice to change pitch to resemble that of his normal voice.

"Ts-Tsuyoi?" Serena asked, stunned.

Black Mewtwo nodded, and closed his eyes in concentration. Within a few seconds, the de-transforming sequence was carried out, and Tsuyoi was standing before them in his natural forme, complete with the outfit he'd gone to his date with Sabrina in. Ash's jaw dropped, and he dissipated the Aura Sphere he'd been about to throw. "That was you?" He asked nervously. "I didn't know you could do that!"

"Why didn't you tell us it was you?" Serena asked. "Was it too risky to attempt a Psychic message?"

_"It was," _Tsuyoi replied, _"though I had to overdo things in that battle, there."_

"Overdo? You mean you could've hit Night-walker so hard he would've been defeated in one hit?" Ash asked.

_"Most likely,"_ Tsuyoi replied, _"but I don't wish to reveal my full strength to Night-walker. His master is Giovanni, my enemy. The less he knows about my powers, the better."_ He teleported himself, Serena, and Ash to the Pokémon Center. "Tomorrow," he told his friends, "we must leave. Night-walker spotted me here, and you, Ash, were held up by some allies of his, which means that either Giovanni himself will soon be here, or he'll send Night-walker back, but with some friends."

"Sabrina's gotta come with us," Viola said, causing everyone to look at her. "Ash told me everything, Sabrina, about that battle where Mewtwo was killed. If you stay here, your life's in danger."

"But what about the city?" Sabrina asked. "I can't just abandon them when they need me."

_([Exactly how I was when Giovanni confronted me and the other clones when we were trying to flee him,])_ Mewtwo told Tsuyoi. "We don't have to worry about that," Tsuyoi replied. "I scanned Night-walker's mind during the battle. From I saw, either Giovanni's entire focus is on me and Sabrina, or that's just misinformation."

"If that's our best lead, we'd better follow it," Ash said. "We need to get you out of here, Sabrina. It's only a matter of time before Giovanni attacks again, and if you're still here when that happens, you would be destroyed."

Sabrina nodded. "I'm just not sure what to do," she whimpered. "I'm scared." She felt a hand on her shoulder, and looked up to see Tsuyoi smiling reassuringly at her.

"I'm scared, too," he said, "but right now, we don't have the luxury of self-doubt. When tomorrow comes, I will have determined the best way for us to travel." He gave Sabrina a quick goodnight kiss and walked with her to the room where the group was staying, Clemont and Bonnie soon following. Viola made sure the pictures on her camera were backed up on her laptop, and further backed up on a hard drive she had in the Kalos Region, and went to the room to get some sleep, leaving Ash and Serena in the main waiting area.

"You were really foolish to challenge Tsuyoi like that," Serena said, "but it was bold, and I like it when you're bold."

"You were in danger," Ash said as Nurse Joy took his and Serena's Pokémon away for a quick examination. Tsuyoi, dressed in an ordinary black shirt and blue jeans, asked Nurse Joy to ensure his own Pokémon were healthy. "I couldn't bear the thought of you getting hurt." He flushed slightly. "S-Serena, th-there's something I n-need to t-tell you," he stuttered, trying to bring himself to look her in the eye.

Serena flushed also, but leaned forward and gave Ash a kiss on the cheek, having a feeling that she knew what Ash was talking about. She resisted the urge to run away, and looked Ash in the eye. "I'm guessing that you have a crush on me?" She asked, a flirtatious tone finding its way into her voice. Ash nodded wordlessly. "Well, so do I," Serena added, holding Ash's hand in hers. "I don't know how far this could go between us, but if you're willing to take that step, so am I," she confessed.

"Okay, but … I'm not the best with girls," Ash muttered, looking downward to hide the blush on his face.

"That's okay. I'm not the best with boys. You'll be my first …er… b-boyfriend," Serena replied, stumbling over the word 'boyfriend'. She'd never thought that she of all people could ever find a cute guy to call a boyfriend, but Ash was definitely cute, and so much more. He was a selfless hero in disguise who was willing to lay down or endanger his life for the safety of his friends. She'd seen him climb the Lumiose Tower to remove the Team Rocket Control Collar from Garchomp, and she'd seen him, to her lasting horror, jump from Lumiose Tower to save Pikachu. There were nights where she still had nightmares about Ash jumping off the Lumiose Tower.

Ash smiled nervously at Serena. "Well, you'll be my first girlfriend," he said, somehow managing to not stutter over the word 'girlfriend'.

Serena smiled, gave Ash another quick kiss on the cheek, and walked to the room where they were sleeping. "Goodnight, Ash," she said. Ash went to bed a few minutes later, noticing that Tsuyoi was sleeping in a makeshift hammock on the other side of the room while Sabrina slept in what used to be Tsuyoi's bed. The black-haired Kanto native gave Serena and Tsuyoi their Pokémon before falling asleep. _(I hope Tsuyoi knows what he's doing…)_ He thought as he drifted off to sleep.

The next morning, Ash woke to a pleasant sight: Serena's beautiful, sleeping face a few inches from his. She must've snuck over to his bunk while he was asleep. Unfortunately, she was laying on his right arm, preventing him from moving. Fortunately, Serena woke up a few minutes later. "Good morning," she said, a blush on her face.

"G-g-good morning," Ash stuttered, realizing that Tsuyoi was awake and staring at them.

"Get moving, you lovebirds," Suzy said, breaking the young couple out of their dreamlike state. "You should've been awake fifteen minutes ago."

"Sorry," Serena said as she went back to her bunk. She raised a quick privacy curtain so that she could get dressed. It would be severely embarrassing if Ash saw her in any other state other than fully clothed (A/N. Her sleepwear outfit counts as being fully clothed, considering it's not indecent). She was more than ready to kiss Ash full on the lips like Sabrina had with Tsuyoi, but she wasn't ready for _that_ part of their relationship just yet. She planned on saving that until after they were married, and she was more than certain that they would get married when the time was right, but not for a while. After she was done putting on her signature outfit, she took down the curtain and picked up her stuff. "I'm ready to go," she said. Tsuyoi placed a hand on her shoulders and teleported. After getting over the slight wooziness that came with teleportation, Serena realized that she'd been teleported right next to Ash, causing her to blush. "Wh-what's the plan?" She asked as she grabbed Ash's hand.

"We can't simply teleport to the Pokémon League," Tsuyoi replied. "It's too far, and it's exactly what Giovanni would expect us to do." He pulled out a map of the Kanto Region. "We're here," he said, pointing to Route 5, the route between Saffron City and Cerulean City. "We're only a few days' journey from Cerulean City, and it just so happens that there is a Pokémon Contest happening there. By the time we get there, we will be able to participate in all the events."

"I've always wanted to take part in a Pokémon Contest," Serena replied, an eager glint in her eyes.

"I'll be able to take some excellent action shots there!" Viola added excitedly.

"Will you be participating as well, Tsuyoi?" Sabrina asked.

"I will," Tsuyoi replied. "I've got the perfect combo in mind. It'll wow the judges."

"Can you tell us anything about it?" Bonnie asked, using her cute grin.

"Can't," Tsuyoi replied.

"Well, that's no fun," Bonnie muttered.

"You'll get to see Tsuyoi do it live," Clemont assured Bonnie. "Right now, we need to get going. No telling where Night-walker could be right now."

"He is not near us," Tsuyoi assured Clemont, "but we must keep moving as if he is. Just because something's not visible does not mean that it's not there."

Clemont nodded, and began walking. He knew that Night-walker was a highly dangerous adversary, and that if there was anyone in the group who could tangle with the Dark Deoxys clone and win, it was definitely Sabrina and Tsuyoi. Tsuyoi led the group, having his Lucario keep a careful eye out for any anomalies, including people or Team Rocket Pokémon.

**-Meanwhile, at Team Rocket Headquarters-**

"I am sincerely glad that you gentlemen could meet with me on such short notice," Giovanni said respectfully to the two holograms before him.

"A pity we could not have met when my men were on the verge of success in reshaping space and time itself," Cyrus, the gray-haired former leader of Team Galactic, replied. "I have heard of your group's strength, and that strength would've been greatly appreciated in our final battle with the Ketchum boy and his crew."

Ghetsis, the former leader of Team Plasma, narrowed his eyes at Giovanni. "I take assume that you did not just contact us for the sake of salutations and pathetic shows of strength," he said curtly.

"You are correct," Giovanni replied, ignoring Ghetsis' tone of voice. "I have run into a rather troublesome figure who stands in the way of my plans for domination of the Kanto Region: A youth who possesses a frighteningly high Psychic power."

"Do you know his name, or have a photograph of him that we may look at and determine if we know him?" Cyrus asked.

Giovanni nodded, and activated a smaller holographic device in his hands. The projector showed a tall individual almost completely clad in black except for a strip of skin around the eyes, which were red. "Do you recognize him?" The leader of Team Rocket asked.

Cyrus shook his head. "I have never seen him before," he replied.

"I have," Ghetsis replied, causing the other two crime leaders to look to him. "That boy interfered with my plans of dominating the Unova Region. He persuaded my protégé, N, to turn against me by siding with the Ketchum brat and his friends, and I have no doubt that figure was also responsible for the disappearance of the Dark Stone, the resting forme of Zekrom, the Deep Black Pokémon. Unfortunately, I am unable to provide any assistance in the defeat of this most annoying youth, whether by men or by information."

"I am also unable to provide assistance," Cyrus added. "I have to be constantly on the move in order to avoid the police. If I run across any details about this fellow, I will inform you," he said as his holographic image faded.

Ghetsis narrowed his eyes as he stared at Giovanni. "I have no further details about the boy, and my forces are scattered across the Unova Region. I may be able to contact them in order to obtain extra details about this youth, but do not hold your breath about it," he said in a slightly rude tone as his image faded.

Giovanni frowned at the space where the hologram had been. Of all the criminal leaders he'd had dealings with, Ghetsis was the one he could stand the least. Hearing someone enter, he turned around to see a battered Night-walker standing before him. "Ah, Night-walker. I could use some good news right now," he said.

Night-walker froze for a moment. _"I am sorry, master,"_ he said nervously. _"I was unable to complete the missions as you specified."_

"Explain," Giovanni replied curtly.

_"Somehow, the ninja figure you ordered me to destroy was able to counter a Hyper Beam attack by the Tyranitar I'd managed to Hypnotize,"_ Night-walker said. _"Later, when I kidnapped the Ketchum boy and the girl named Serena, something … impossible happened."_ The Dark Deoxys clone looked up at his master, a touch of fear in his unblinking eyes. _"Master, I saw Mewtwo."_

"Impossible," Giovanni rebutted. "We saw him get mortally wounded with our own eyes. There was no way Mewtwo could've used Recover to survive. It must've been a fake that attacked you." He sighed, and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Tell me you at least managed to bring the Ketchum boy and the girl here," he said.

_"I was unable to do so,"_ Night-walker replied, looking down again. _"The figure, who referred to himself as Black Mewtwo, defeated me and threw me a very far distance. It took him quite a lot of effort, though. If I were to fight him again with the proper backup, his defeat would be most assured."_

Giovanni nodded, and dismissed Night-walker. He suspected that this Ninja figure was the result of Project M Prime, but he was unable to ascertain this suspicion because all information having to do with the closely guarded experiment had been destroyed, and all the people that had been present when Project M Prime had activated, including Giovanni, suffered some peculiar memory loss concerning the event, and nothing could be done to try and restore those memories. Still, if this mysterious, powerful youth was the result of Project M Prime, then that would mean that the boy had to be either immediately contained or eliminated altogether. "Gengar," he said to the empty room.

In reply, a purple ghost with red eyes, an unsettling grin, and spike-like projection on its back floated out of the wall and into the room. _"What is your wish, master?"_ It asked, grinning.

Giovanni showed him the image of Tsuyoi. "Find this individual, and report back when you have found him," the Team Rocket Leader ordered as he handed the Ghost Pokémon a communicator.

Gengar shivered when he saw the image. _"It shall be done,"_ he said as he disappeared. What Giovanni didn't know was that Gengar's shivering was not a shiver of ghoulish delight, but a shiver of deep dread. Something told Gengar that this figure was trouble, something that made his back spikes stand on end. "Trust the back spikes," his mother had told him. He had, and they'd never been wrong before.

**-The next day, with Ash and his friends-**

Ash woke to a sight few people in the cities got to see: a gorgeous sunrise. He got out of his sleeping bag, got himself dressed, and watched as the colors changed from red to a brilliant gold as the Sun began to rise. _"It's a beautiful sight, is it not?"_ A voice said, making Ash jump slightly as he turned to see who it was. It was Tsuyoi's Lucario.

"It is a beautiful sight," Ash agreed. "I never can get used to it. It's just …" he trailed off, unable to find the words to describe it.

Lucario chuckled softly at Ash's speechlessness. _"My kind have a word for it_," she replied._ "When translated into human, it means something like this: The moment of impossible beauty. My kind adore the Sun, and some even revere it as a sort of deity. Others, like myself, are aware that the Sun is merely a hot ball of gas that no one can get close to without burning up."_ Suddenly, the morning quiet was interrupted by a loud Hyper Beam shooting through the air.

_"Excellent, Tyranitar," _a familiar voice said. Ash and Lucario, along with everyone else, ran over to the small clearing where Tsuyoi and Tyranitar were, and were surprised to see Tyranitar with one of its hands smoking.

"What happened?" Sabrina asked, curious.

_"I have succeeded in teaching Tyranitar to shoot a Hyper Beam through its hands,"_ Tsuyoi replied, to everyone's astonishment.

"How is that possible?" Ash asked.

Tsuyoi smiled. _"That is for me to know, and for you to find out,"_ he replied as he recalled Tyranitar. As they packed up their small campsite, Sabrina marveled inwardly at how Tsuyoi had trained the Tyranitar, which he'd caught the previous day, to shoot a Hyper Beam from its hands. This was by no means injurious to the Pokémon doing it, but it was exceptionally hard to teach. Mostly, it was just Alakazams or Lucarios that could do such a feat.

After they packed up, they began to walk, Clemont next to Suzy, Ash next to Serena, Sabrina next to Tsuyoi, Bonnie in the center of the group with her Dedenne, and Viola walking along with her camera, taking pictures of the route. "This route is so beautiful," she said.

Ash nodded. "I've been all over the world, but nothing compares to the beauty of this place," he said.

"I dunno," Suzy replied. "It's hard to beat the Ninja Village. Maybe I can take you all there, someday."

"That would be nice," Ash said. He consulted his PokéDex to see what was coming up. "There's a public bathhouse not too far from here," he said.

"Let's go there," Serena said. "I could use a good bath."

_"Me too,"_ Tsuyoi replied. _"Let's hope it's one of those places where the men and women bath in separate rooms."_

"You're in luck," Sabrina replied, having consulted her own advanced PokéDex. "It has bathing rooms for men and women. There's an age limit, though, which means that Bonnie won't be able to join us."

"That's okay," Bonnie replied. "I got a shower last night at the Pokémon Center."

_"I'll keep an eye on her,"_ Tsuyoi offered. _"I can wait until we get to the Cerulean Pokémon Center to get another shower."_

"Thanks," Clemont replied. "I'd hate to think about what could happen if Bonnie was left unsupervised."

About two hours later, the small group arrived at the bathhouse. Tsuyoi and Bonnie went ahead on the Route while the others went in. "Do you have a reservation?" The hostess of the bathhouse asked.

"We don't need one," Sabrina replied, showing her Gym Leader ID. "My name is Sabrina, and I am the Saffron City Gym Leader, and I would like it very much if you would allow us in."

The hostess nodded. "It just so happens that we have a couple springs that are open. Of course, guys and girls' springs are separate," she replied.

"Of course," Sabrina replied.

The hostess guided them to the girl's room for undressing, which was stocked with towels of varying lengths. "I'm sorry, but we only have the one room," she apologized. "The guy's room is being repainted."

"Don't worry about us. We'll make sure the guys behave themselves," Viola replied, shooting Ash and Clemont a death glare, Sabrina giving the boys her own death stare.

**(Nudity alert. If this offends you, or if it's not your thing, skip to the end of the scene as indicated below.)**

The two groups quickly pulled off their clothes, garbing themselves in towels. Viola put her camera in the locker that contained her clothes, knowing the moisture of the spring would ruin her camera. Ash and Clemont quickly fled to the guy's spring, not wanting to accidentally look at the women and annoy them. Serena, noting the guys' quick exit, chuckled. "Wonder what the hurry was," she said.

Sabrina shrugged, and led the way to the spring. The steam made it a bit hard to see for a moment, but it quickly cleared up, revealing the contours of the spring. The spring itself was more than large enough for this small group, able to comfortably contain at least 20 women. Satisfied that there was no way the guys could peek over on their side, Sabrina dropped her towel. Her body was well-toned and athletic, evidence of the fact that she'd been exercising ever since Ash had 'defeated' her so long ago. Her body had no significant flaws visible on it, and nothing about it was fake. Viola was even more slim and fit than Sabrina, and her feet and heels had calluses, evidence of her frequent travels, parts of which she spent walking around barefoot. Serena was moderately fit, and it showed. She wasn't as athletic as Sabrina, but looked like she could run a marathon quite well. Suzy shed her towel, eased herself into the spring, and relaxed. She was the most athletic of the group. Her arms were well muscled, and she had the legs of a runner. She was the one most likely to win a major marathon, whether it was a running marathon like the Lumiose Marathon, or a biking one like the Tour de Kanto. "Man, this is great," Suzy sighed. "Getting a chance to relax like this isn't an opportunity one receives often."

"I agree," Serena replied. "Nothing's better than a hot spring."

"Nothing," Sabrina interjected, "except for a kiss from a lover."

"How do you know?" Suzy asked, curious. "Did my brother kiss you?"

"No. _I_ kissed _him_," Sabrina replied, a blush on her face. "He's not experienced in romance, but then again, neither am I."

Viola shrugged. "As long as Tsuyoi behaves himself, I don't think it matters who kisses whom," she replied, Sabrina agreeing.

For a while, the girls were silent as they enjoyed the feeling of the hot spring against their bare skin. "So," Suzy said to Serena, breaking the silence, "why were you in Ash's bed at the Pokémon Center?"

Serena felt the glances of Sabrina and Viola settle on her. "Well… I guess I just wanted … to be a bit closer to him," she said shyly. "He makes me feel safe. Besides, he makes such a cute face when he's asleep."

"Can't argue with you there," Viola replied, smiling. "He does make a cute sleeper." Her face abruptly turned serious. "Still, I hope you're taking your time in this relationship of yours and not going too fast."

"What do you mean?" Serena asked, blushing at the implied statement. "Ash and I aren't ready for _that_. Not yet. Besides, if I tried to jump to that part, I'd end up scaring Ash away, probably," she added, whispering the last part.

"Smart girl," Suzy replied, giving Serena a light hug. "I'd scare away Clemont if I tried to jump to _that_. That's how Ash and Clemont are similar. They're both so romantically inexperienced, but that's what gives them that charm that's ensnared us."

"Tsuyoi has that charm, too," Sabrina replied, stretching her arms. "Besides, he's just like Ash: They're both willing to put their lives in danger to save their friends." Serena nodded, remembering Ash's climb up the Lumiose Tower to remove the collar from Garchomp, and his later jump off the Tower to save Pikachu. "I heard about Ash's actions in Lumiose City. I wasn't surprised. He's done similar dangerous things to help others. Tsuyoi's the same way. He faced down a Hypnotized Tyranitar on his own and captured it to make sure that no one else was hurt in the fight."

"And was he hurt?" Suzy asked, sounding a bit worried.

"Not too much," Sabrina replied. "He was just a bit scratched up from debris that was kicked up, but nothing that required stitches. The worst injury he had was the scratches in his suit, but those are easily sewn up." She stopped talking abruptly. "I think someone's listening in," she said.

Over in the guy's section, Clemont was wondering what Suzy and the other girls were talking about. Probably how he could use some exercise, or at least that's what they would talk about if Bonnie had been there. Being a Gym Leader/Scientist, Clemont rarely had the opportunity to get much exercise, and it showed. He got out of breath easily when running, but over the span of his journey, he was improving. He looked over at the partitioning wall separating the springs, where a towel-garbed Ash had his ear to the wall. Unlike Clemont, Ash was almost always on a journey, and as a result, he got a lot of exercise. He was practically a miniature bodybuilder, for crying out loud. It was no wonder that there were a multitude of girls in different places that had a crush on him. He wasn't good with women, though, considering that he was clueless when it came to recognizing advances from the female gender, but his Pokémon skills and muscular frame seemed to compensate. Suddenly, Ash fell flat on his rear, an astonished look on his face. "What happened?" Clemont asked.

"Somehow, the girls figured out that I was trying to listen in, and your girlfriend kinda yelled at me," Ash replied sheepishly.

Clemont shrugged. "Well, you shouldn't be trying to make her mad," he said. "So, what were they talking about?"

"How me and Tsuyoi are alike, and how you and I are alike," Ash replied. "Apparently, Tsuyoi took on a Tyranitar on his own because he didn't want his Pokémon to get hurt."

Clemont was stunned. "I knew he was strong, but that strong?!" He exclaimed.

Ash nodded. "I asked him how he took on that Tyranitar, and he told me, 'Why do you ask a question whose answer you already know?'" He looked thoughtful. "In his Black Mewtwo forme, Tsuyoi said that true power comes from within. Perhaps," he said, an Aura Sphere appearing in his hand, "the Aura is my inner power, and I'll only be able to use it to full effect when I've embraced my strengths and weaknesses."

"Perhaps," Clemont replied. "Perhaps."

Over on the girls' side, Suzy yawned and shook her head, causing her breasts to jiggle slightly. "Am I the only one who sensed something was off about my brother's Tyranitar?" She asked.

"I sensed it too," Sabrina replied. "There seems to be a very high level of Tyranitarite in its body." Her eyes widened in realization. "Maybe that Tyranitar's the result of a Team Rocket experiment like Tsuyoi is. That would explain why they trust each other so much. Tsuyoi couldn't train Tyranitar to shoot a Hyper Beam from its hands if there wasn't complete and total trust between them."

"That means that even without visible Tyranitarite, Tsuyoi could make Tyranitar Mega Evolve," Viola replied.

"Exactly," Sabrina replied. She motioned for the girls to come closer to her spot in the middle of the spring, so they did. "Tsuyoi told me part of his plan for the Contest Battle," she whispered to them. "He said that he was going to have Tyranitar and Lucario both Mega Evolve at the same time."

"What?!" Viola said loudly before remembering that she was supposed to be whispering. "It's nearly impossible for the average Trainer to control more than one Mega Evolution."

"Tsuyoi's not the average Trainer," Serena pointed out. "Not only does he have unique powers, he also has a very deep connection with his Pokémon."

"Not too different from the kind Ash has with his Pokémon," Sabrina noted. "Even when I was a … less than amiable person, I could sense that Ash had a very strong link with his Pokémon, especially his Pikachu."

"You… you mean that Ash potentially has the same ability as Tsuyoi?" Viola asked, astonished.

"Perhaps," Sabrina replied. "I've heard rumors, but apparently, Ash has the habit of frequently meeting and befriending Legendary Pokémon."

"Such as Mewtwo," Serena replied, remembering the last time she'd seen the Genetic Pokémon. "Even when he was extremely crabby, Mewtwo couldn't help but be friends with Ash."

"It's like he gives off this … infectious aura of friendliness," Suzy added, yawning again. "Man, I gotta get outta here before I fall asleep."

Viola nodded, feeling a bit sleepy, herself. "You know what? I think we all better get out," she said, fighting back a yawn. The girls quickly got out of the spring, wrapped their towels around their bodies, and made their way to the changing room. The first thing they saw was a fully clothed Ash booking it out of the room, making Serena giggle softly. The girls quickly dressed and exited the room, except for Suzy, who was fumbling with the knot she'd tied in her towel. Growling slightly in frustration, the young ninja girl put forth her strength and undid the knot, causing the towel to fall to the ground.

Unfortunately, this happened at the very moment that towel-garbed Clemont walked into the room, catching a view of his girlfriend with nothing on. The two stood there in stunned silence, too shocked by events to be capable of thought for a few moments. Clemont stared at Suzy's breasts, not daring to let his eyes stray lower than that point. They appeared to be a D-cup, and completely natural. Clemont's logical side was not surprised. There was another side, however, that saw her breasts and wanted to touch them. After a brief war, the logical side won, and Clemont turned away hastily. "I'm sorry," he said nervously. "I-I w-w-w-wasn't t-trying to p-p-p-peek." He quickly got dressed and ran out of the room so fast that even Olympic runners on steroids would have had a tough time catching up with him.

Suzy stood there a moment, face redder than the time when she'd accidentally kissed Clemont on the plane. She'd never felt so embarrassed in her life. A guy had seen her without any clothes on, in a state that she thought was indecent. As she got dressed, she thought back on how Clemont had reacted. He'd kept his eyes above her waistline, and she hadn't noticed anything indecent coming from Clemont. Unlike her brother, Suzy could only sense emotions, and she'd sensed only intense shock coming from Clemont. There was a tiny spike of lust, but nothing remarkable. As she walked out of the changing room to meet up with her friends, Suzy had come to the realization and assumption that Clemont was telling the truth, that his viewing her nudity was an unlucky accident, a screwball that life threw. It was up to her to make sure she didn't get a metaphorical black eye from it, and to make sure Clemont didn't get a metaphorical black eye, either.

**(End of nudity scene)**

**-15 minutes later-**

After hearing Clemont apologize for the event, it didn't take long at all for Viola and the others to decide that Clemont and Suzy needed some alone time to talk about what happened. At first, there was an awkward silence between the two lovers, Suzy's face a bright red. She began to feel lightheaded from the amount of blood in her head and began to sway. Clemont caught her, thinking she was about to pass out. He flushed at the realization that he was giving a hug to the first girl he'd ever seen naked. "What were you doing?" Clemont asked, breaking the silence as Suzy leaned on his shoulder. "When I first walked in, you seemed angry at something. Did one of the girls say something to offend you?" He asked.

"No," Suzy replied, shaking her head. "I tied too good a knot in my towel, and I wanted to take care of it, myself. Of course, I didn't expect you to e-enter the room at that p-point," she stuttered.

Clemont's face grew redder, remembering the event. "I wasn't t-t-trying to get a peek," he tried to protest before being silenced in a surprising way: Suzy kissing him. It was a simple kiss, nothing noteworthy about it. The implications of the kiss, though, were noteworthy.

After a few minutes, Suzy pulled herself away from Clemont's lips, sighing softly. "I know it was just an accident," she said softly. "I told you I can sense emotions, right?" Receiving a nod from Clemont, she continued. "I only sensed shock from you. No large spike of smug triumph or lust or anything to suggest that you planned the event."

"S-s-so, yo-you're not m-mad?" Clemont asked, unable to keep a hopeful tone from entering his voice.

"Do you want me to be mad?" Suzy asked, lowering her voice. Receiving a panicked "No" from Clemont, she giggled. "I'm kidding," she said. "Life just threw us a curveball, that's all. Just so you know, my brother's not mad, either. He, like me, knows that it was just an accident." The two lovers stood up and began making their way back to the trail where their friends awaited. Suddenly, Suzy stopped. "Clemont… do you still think I'm g-good enough to be your g-g-g-girlfriend?" She asked softly.

Clemont paused. He thought over his answer carefully, knowing that the words could make or break their relationship. Eventually, he gave Suzy a gentle hug, and an even gentler kiss on the lips. "Of course," he said. "You're not the indecent type. Today doesn't change that. You're still the most beautiful girl I've ever seen, and I love you."

The young Lumiose City Gym Leader looked at Suzy's face, hoping he'd spoken right. Judging from the near blissful expression on her face, and the happy tears coming from her eyes, the words had been the ones that she'd been needing and wanting to hear. "I love you too," Suzy confessed, bringing Clemont in for another kiss, this one lasting about five minutes, much to the chagrin of poor Bonnie.

After the two separated, they walked back to the trail and joined their friends on the hike to the Cerulean Contest. Suzy gave Clemont a smile, causing Bonnie to groan aloud. "Not again," she said.

"What?" Clemont asked, trying to keep from sounding irritated.

"The last time Suzy smiled at you like that, you two had your mouths taped together for five minutes too long," Bonnie said with a blunt tone that could only come from someone of her age group.

Suzy laughed loudly, causing everyone to stop in their tracks. "You're so funny," she said to Bonnie, trying to not cry from laughing so hard.

"I'm serious!" Bonnie yelled. "What's so great about putting your lips together like that?! Aren't you worried about germs?"

"What germs?" Suzy asked. "It's a way for me to express my love to your older brother. Once you're older and have your own boyfriend, you'll understand."

Bonnie nodded, muttering, "Maybe things won't be so weird by then" as the group walked along.

**_Our heroes have certainly encountered their fair share of dramatic events lately: a transforming ally, romance, embarrassment, and a young couple being told to "kiss and make up". Soon, it will be time for the Cerulean Pokémon Contest to begin, with all its drama and spectacular Move combos. Unbeknownst to our heroes, a certain someone will be taking part in the contest…_**

The young orange-haired girl hummed softly to herself as she brushed her hair. Since she kept it short, it was easy to maintain. Besides, it relaxed her to brush her hair. "Will you be done soon?" An irritated voice outside the bathroom asked.

"In a minute, Violet!" The orange-haired girl yelled. It would be nice if they'd give her some respect, she thought. She _was_ the Cerulean Gym Leader, Misty, for crying out loud. She paused to look herself in the mirror. Her hair had darkened slightly over the years, but Misty was more than sure that Ash would easily recognize her. _(I certainly hope he'll be at the Contest. Otherwise, it's a bust,)_ the Gym Leader thought, not knowing that Ash had fallen in love with Serena, instead. She was aware that May, Dawn, and Iris would be there, but she didn't plan on losing to any of them. _(Look out, world! Misty is about to claim her man!)_

**Phew! 11000+ words?! This is my longest chapter, ever. It was quite a joy to type it. I hope that this chapter was well worth the wait. Tsuyoi will be breaking a few Pokémon game rules, but in my defense, the show breaks the rules on more than one occasion. Prime example: Pikachu using Thunderbolt and knocking out a Golem. That's not right. Golem's half-Ground, and is supposed to be immune to electric.**

**I am indebted to ninja of fallen Sakura for helping beta the chapter and giving encouragement when I needed it. I am also indebted to SuperHeroTimeFan for continuing to inspire me. Your help is greatly appreciated. Care to guess what Sabrina's newest Pokémon is?**

**I would appreciate more reviews. Tell your friends about this fanfic, and have them tell their friends. Reviews are appreciated, but flamers will not be tolerated. If you flame me or waste my time like Agent BM, I will permanently block you from my profile. No exceptions!**


	6. A Teaser Chapter

**I'm very sorry that you had to wait so long for an update. Unfortunately, I've been delayed by life and beta-ing other fanfics. Also, I had to rethink the Contest Battle where Tsuyoi reveals his Combo. Yes, he'll be using two Mega Evolutions, but he can control them without forcing them to. Now, to acknowledge those who keep me going when I've got writer's block: The reviewers.**

**SuperHeroTimeFan: I'm sorry that the M rating made you nervous. I originally planned to have lemons close to the end of the fanfic (because having them close to the beginning or middle would've been nonsensical), but that's not going to happen. The bathhouse scene with Clemont and Suzy, which may be edited at a later time, is the closest I'm getting to that.**

**ninja of fallen Sakura: Your wish is my command, milady. I shall continue typing.**

**silverivy13: The full extent of Tsuyoi's powers has not been revealed. Stay tuned, and you might see it. I sincerely hope this chapter was also worth waiting for.**

**Guest Reviewer Daniel: I know Pokémon lacks romance. That's why I'm putting romance in this fanfic. I'll see what I can do about the romance, but since it is an integral part of the fanfic, I can't exclude it.**

** 1****: I'm glad you're enjoying my fanfic so far. Don't worry. Chapter 5 will be the most explicit chapter in this fanfic.**

**I would like to add that I made some references to the Cynthia/Ash fanfic "When Two Lives Meet" by The Immortal Doctor Reed, particularly where Sabrina called Tsuyoi a dork after he made her blush. Also, there will be some clashes over a guy in this chapter. Who is this lucky, or unlucky, guy? The hint's in the ending part of the previous chapter. Good? Good.**

**For those who are wondering, Tsuyoi's team is Elite Four-strong, which is why he's one-shotting most of the Pokémon he's facing. When the contest comes around, he'll hold back so that he's not detected. This is only a teaser chapter, designed to give you a glimpse into my mind concerning the coming chapter:**

"Metsu HADOOOOOOOOOOKEEEEEEN!"

"Violence is WHAT I AM!"

"I shall grind beneath my heel ALL that exists…"

"I failed, master."

"The youth proves more resilient than expected…"

"You owe me a date, Gary!"

"There is no shame in turning down the battle offer."

"What is 'courage'? It's becoming one with 'fear' itself!"

"Abusoru, arise."

"The Lord of the Reverse World will _not_ be pleased…"

"**This is YOUR fault!"**

"You can't get sick now Lucario. You have a date tomorrow."

"Sir, we have news from Ghetsis."


	7. Clash of the Titans

**Guest Reviewer: I know the chapter was short, and I can assure you it'll be the shortest in this fanfic.**

**I must warn you, reader. There are spoilers in this chapter from the games Pokémon X and Y, and with them, a new villain in my fanfic. This villain is similar to Team Galactic Leader Cyrus in their views on what a perfect world is. The details will be present within this chapter.**

**Now, at long last, the Journey continues!**

**Chapter 7: Clash of the Titans**

"…" Talking/Psychic conversation in flashback

_(…) __thoughts/flashbacks_

_[…] Private psychic link_

[…] Private psychic link during flashback

"[…]" Pokémon speaking

"**[…]"** Out-of-control Pokémon speaking

**"..."** Dark Pokémon speech

"…" _Psychic conversation_

_([…])_ Mewtwo and Tsuyoi's Mind-Link

"…" Black Mewtwo Tsuyoi speaking

"_{…}"_ Pokémon Translator

_**In the process of going on a date with Sabrina, Tsuyoi learned that Sabrina had feelings for him, despite the fact that she'd denied having any such feelings at a Gym Leader meeting sometime prior that Tsuyoi had been a guest to. Tsuyoi confessed that he'd had unfortunate dealings with Giovanni in the past that had caused him to become mutated. Sabrina didn't care about this, and told Tsuyoi she loved him. Despite an attack by a Tyranitar directed by Night-walker, Mewtwo's killer, Tsuyoi and Sabrina were unharmed, and Tsuyoi, after revealing his ability to transform, chased down and confronted Night-walker, defeating him with some apparent effort. The next day, Tsuyoi and his friends, Sabrina included, made their way on Route 5 toward Cerulean City, where they encountered some temporary romantic issues between Suzy and Clemont that were quickly resolved. Now, three days later, Ash and his friends have made their way to Cerulean City, where an old friend awaits…**_

"At last," Ash said with a sigh of relief. "We're almost there." The edges of Cerulean City were within a few minutes' walk.

"It looks really pretty from here," Bonnie remarked, a smile on her face.

"It's even prettier up close," Sabrina remarked. "It's one of my favorite places to go on vacation when I'm not attending to my Gym Leader duties."

Tsuyoi smiled. He hadn't been to Cerulean City since he'd crushed Misty. She had dared to try and call his Absol slow and weak, and he had slowly defeated each of her Pokémon with Absol's Shadow Ball, taking his time when he could've crushed her with Absol's Thunderbolt. One thing that he could not accept was a jab at his own Pokémon, and even though he'd changed quite a bit over time, he still would not accept a jab at his Pokémon. He knew that she would likely be at the Contest. It just wouldn't be a Cerulean Contest without the Cerulean City Gym Leader taking part. "I hope we're not too late," Clemont said. "It would be crushing to have come too late."

Suzy smiled, and gave Clemont's hand a comforting squeeze. "I don't think we're late at all," she said. "Just to be sure, though…" She looked at Sabrina. "Can you call ahead to find out?" She asked.

Sabrina turned on her Xtransceiver. "I'll call the Pokémon Center," she said. She walked some distance from the group so they wouldn't eavesdrop on her, and she called the Pokémon Center. "This is Sabrina of Saffron City. Do you read me?"

"Hello, Sabrina," Nurse Joy replied, smiling. "I'm glad to see that you're okay. I was really worried about you when Saffron City was assaulted by Team Rocket. How did you get out?" Sabrina flushed, and said nothing. Nurse Joy chuckled. "Looks like the rumors are true. You _do_ have a strong boyfriend, don't you?"

Sabrina nodded. "Well, I was calling to make sure that my friends and I weren't late for the Contest," she said.

Nurse Joy was silent for a moment. "You're taking part in a Contest?" She asked, sounding incredulous.

"Yes," Sabrina replied.

Nurse Joy smiled broadly. "It's about time," she said. "You just won me a lot of bets, my friend." She looked at someone off-screen. "You owe me a date, Gary!"

"I know it's not usual for me to be present at social events, but there's a first time for everything," Sabrina said, smiling and chuckling a bit, trying to get Nurse Joy's attention. "So, are we late?"

"Oh, no. You got here with two days to spare," Nurse Joy replied happily. "I can't wait to see you again, and to see your _boyfriend_," she added, teasing the Saffron Gym Leader.

Sabrina blushed and giggled softly. "Can't wait to see _yours,_ too," she countered. She hung up after saying bye, and walked back toward the group. She immediately noticed the concerned, thoughtful look on Tsuyoi's face. "Trouble?" She asked, gently grabbing his hand.

Tsuyoi nodded. "There is," he replied softly, "but only for one person in our group." He looked over at Ash, who was talking to Serena about how Contests worked.

"What do you mean?" Sabrina asked. Tsuyoi looked her in the eye. "Oh…" She replied, realizing what Tsuyoi was getting at, even though he hadn't said a word in any way.

"'Oh' what?" Clemont asked. "And what's this I hear about trouble?"

Tsuyoi looked at Cerulean City, and began walking. "Did Ash tell you about his previous traveling companions?" He asked casually.

"He did," Suzy replied, knowing her brother didn't ask casual questions for the heck of it. "He traveled with Misty through the Kanto and Johto Regions, May in the Hoenn Region, Dawn in the Sinnoh Region, and Iris in the Unova Region."

"With former Pewter City Gym Leader Brock being present for almost all of those regions, the exception being the Unova Region," Tsuyoi replied. He lowered his voice. "All his female traveling companions are there," he added.

"Oh, no," Suzy moaned. "Sounds like a fight."

"Fight? What do you mean?" Clemont asked, clueless.

Suzy giggled softly at her boyfriend's cluelessness, and said, "You know that Electivire _loves_ electricity, right?"

"Of course I do," Clemont replied. "I'm the Electric-type Gym Leader of Lumiose City. I know things like that."

"Well," Suzy continued, "to put it simply and figuratively, Ash is electricity, and in Cerulean City, there are a lot of Electivires, all of whom probably can't stand each other."

"What's this about Electivire?" Ash asked.

"What's an Electivire?" Serena asked.

Tsuyoi pulled out his PokéDex, and it had an image of an Electivire on it. It said "Electivire, the Thunderbolt Pokémon, and the evolved form of Electabuzz. When Electivire attacks, it pushes the tips of its two tails against its opponent." He looked at Ash. "Tread carefully in Cerulean City," he advised. "Some friends of yours are there, and if they see that you're with Serena…"

To everyone's surprise, Ash put two and two together almost instantly. "I'm in trouble," he said nervously. (Editor's note: Just about every time I've seen a female make an advance toward Ash, he seems quite clueless, often to the consternation of the female.)

"Don't worry," Sabrina said comfortingly. "We'll all protect you, and if need be…" She looked over at Tsuyoi.

Getting the hint, Tsuyoi replied, "I'll put them in their places in the Contest Battles," with an attempt at a comforting smile on his face. It came out as more of a smile worn by a Gengar about to scare the living daylights out of someone.

Ash nodded and was about to say something. "ASH!" A female voice yelled loudly, its owner tackling Ash before he had any time to react. Almost immediately, Ash felt someone peppering his face with kisses. It wasn't until the girl pulled back for a second that Ash recognized her.

"Misty?!" Ash asked, surprised.

"Hey there, sweetie," the orange-haired Gym Leader replied, winking at him. Suddenly, she was yanked backward by an angry Serena. "Who the heck are you?!" She snapped.

"I'm his girlfriend!" Serena snapped back.

"You?" The girl deadpanned. "Really?"

"Excuse me?! What do you mean, really?" Serena asked, trying her best not to take off the head of the girl in front of her. "Besides, who the heck are you?"

"For your information," the girl replied, getting in Serena's face, "I am Misty Waterflower, Leader of the Cerulean City Gym, and **I** am Ash's girlfriend!"

"No, you're not!" Serena yelled, shoving Misty back.

Misty looked at Serena with a look that was a mix of disbelief and rage. "Did you just shove me?" She asked. She looked over, and saw Sabrina and Tsuyoi. Ignoring Tsuyoi, she yelled, "Sabrina-san, tell her that she's out of line!"

Sabrina sighed. "What do I look like, a relationship counselor?" She asked. "Besides, last I checked, Ash was taken before he saw you here."

"By me, right?" Misty asked, glaring at Serena.

"Try to think with you head and not with your voice," Tsuyoi deadpanned in a manner that would put Raven to shame (Teen Titans Raven, not the cheap knockoff that is Teen Titans: Go).

"And who are you, thinking that you can talk to me like that?" Misty snapped.

Tsuyoi was unmoved. "My name is Tsuyoi Kokoro," he replied, "and acting as a mediator in this situation, I challenge you to a Pokémon battle."

"How are you a mediator?" Clemont asked. "After all, Ash is your friend, right?"

"Yes, but I don't have any attraction toward him, and attraction is the central point of this issue," Tsuyoi replied.

"Good point," Clemont replied, figuratively backing off.

"What happens if I win?" Misty asked, fired up at the thought of having a rematch against Tsuyoi. She hadn't recognized him at first because he wasn't wearing his normal ninja outfit, but ordinary clothes.

"I will not stop you from making moves on Ash, and I will ensure my friends don't stand in your way," Tsuyoi replied, ignoring Serena's glare. "However," he added, "if I win, I will not prevent my friends from stopping you from making moves on Ash, and I will stop you from making moves on Ash." Serena cheered at that. Misty glared at her, and in reply, Serena stuck out her tongue. "So, do we have a deal?" Tsuyoi asked. "There is no shame in turning down the battle offer."

"And no point, either," Misty replied. "I accept your challenge!"

Tsuyoi nodded. "You pick the arena," he replied, knowing even without mind-reading what place she would pick.

"Let's go to my Gym," Misty replied, pulling Ash toward the city entrance. Within a few minutes, they arrived at their destination.

**-Cerulean City Gym-**

"The match between the Cerulean City Gym Leader, Misty, and the challenger, Tsuyoi, will no begin," the referee proclaimed. "Each trainer will use three Pokémon, and only the challenger may switch! The battle is decided when all three Pokémon on one side are unable to battle. Now, begin!"

"Starmie, let's go!" Misty yelled. The purplish star-shaped Pokémon landed with a cry that sounded like "Hyah".

"Abusoru, arise," Tsuyoi replied verbally.

Misty was confused. "I thought you were telepathic," she said. Her face suddenly turned into a glare. "Are you going easy on me?!" She demanded.

"Well, wouldn't you like to know," Tsuyoi drawled, a slight smirk on his face.

Misty had to restrain herself from running over and beating the daylights out of Tsuyoi. _(What does he think he's doing?! It's as if he's TRYING to get me ticked off at him!)_ "Starmie, use Signal Beam!"

"Hyah!" The Starmie shouted as it shot a multicolored beam at Absol.

"Shadow Ball," Tsuyoi replied. Absol threw a large Shadow Ball. It shrank as it forced the Signal Beam back, but what remained was enough to knock Starmie flat on its back.

"Starmie!" Misty cried. To her surprise and relief, Starmie got up with a struggle. "Go, Starmie. Use Hydro Pump!"

"Hyah!" Starmie replied as it shot a massive blast of water from its center crystal.

"Thunder!" Tsuyoi replied. Absol jumped up, and shot a massive blast of electricity from its horn at the water. The electricity flowed through the Hydro Pump at an incredible speed, smashing into Starmie. The Mysterious Pokémon fell backwards, its center crystal flashing.

"Starmie is unable to battle! Winner is Absol!" The referee cried.

"Well done, Abusoru," Tsuyoi said with a smile. He had trained Absol extensively, and it showed.

"Get a good rest," Misty said, shocked by the defeat. She glared at Tsuyoi. _(He's gotten tougher since we last met. I won't lose against him. I _CAN'T _lose against him again!)_ She thought. "Let's see you handle this one! Go, Armaldo!" She yelled.

"[Let's do this!]" The Plate Pokémon yelled as it jumped out, sharpening its claws against each other.

"Who's that Pokémon?" Clemont wondered, raising his PokéDex. A picture of Armaldo appeared on the screen. "Armaldo, the Plate Pokémon, and the evolved form of Anorith. After Anorith evolves into Armaldo, it proceeds to live on land and an armor-like shell surrounds its entire body," the PokéDex replied.

"It looks like a big shrimp to me," Bonnie remarked.

Sabrina chuckled. "That's pretty much what it is: an oversized Fossil shrimp," she replied.

"I heard that!" Misty yelled. She turned back to the battle. "Use X-Scissor!"

"[Yes! You're done!]" Armaldo yelled as he charged forward, crossing his glowing pincers in front of itself before charging forward.

"Counter with your own X-Scissor," Tsuyoi replied. Absol's horn glowed white, and it charged forward, clashing with Armaldo's X-Scissor. Both Pokémon came to an immediate standstill, neither pushing the other back.

Sabrina was surprised. "I can't believe Absol's standing up to that," she remarked.

"I can't believe it either," Serena replied. "I knew that Tsuyoi's Pokémon were strong, but I didn't know they were this strong."

"Life is not all about taking down your opponents in one hit," Tsuyoi replied, not looking away from the battle before him. "In order to fight, you must be able to endure as well as attack."

Armaldo growled. "[Give up, Absol. You know I have the upper claw here,]" he said.

"[You may have the upper claw, but what about the upper horn?]" Absol quipped. Her horn started to glow even brighter, and she began to slowly walk forward, pushing Armaldo steadily backward.

"Whoa!" Ash exclaimed. "Look at that! Absol's pushing Armaldo back!"

Everyone looked at the scene before them and gasped. Armaldo was heavier than his opponent, but Absol's natural strength appeared to be more than sufficient enough to push Armaldo. "Close Shock!" Tsuyoi ordered.

Absol's horn sparked with electricity. Armaldo, seeing this, tried to jump backward to avoid the Thunder-like attack, but it was too late. Massive amounts of voltage coursed through the Plate Pokémon's body, the force being more than sufficient to throw him back. Armaldo hit the wall, collapsed, and fainted. "[I can take no more…]" he said.

"Armaldo is unable to battle! Winner is Absol!" The referee cried.

"Hooray!" Serena and Sabrina yelled happily. _(Just one more Pokémon to go, and Misty will leave my Ash alone,)_ Serena thought.

"You fought well, Armaldo," Misty said. "Take a good, long rest."

To everyone's surprise, Tsuyoi recalled Absol. "Absol needs her rest," he explained. "Now, let's see your next Pokémon, Misty."

"Alright! Gyarados, come on out!" Misty yelled. The Atrocious Pokémon roared loudly as it came out of its Pokéball. It had a pendant around its neck containing Gyaradosite.

"Rukario, let's go!" Tsuyoi yelled.

"_Let's do this,"_ Lucario yelled as she shot out of her Pokéball. She was eager to assist her friend (A/N Tsuyoi and Ash treat their Pokémon the same: as friends) in his rematch against Misty.

Misty started laughing loudly. "A Fighting-type? How's that supposed to prevail against my Gyarados? More importantly, how is it supposed to prevail against my Mega-Evolved Gyarados?" As if on cue, beams of light shot through the space between Misty's Key Stone and Gyarados' Mega Stone. In a flash of light, Gyarados lost its serpentine shape, becoming more like its former evolution Magikarp in forme, but after that, all similarities ended. Gyarados' stomach drew darker and color, its whiskers lengthened, and it was much more powerful as a result of the Mega Evolution, and roared loudly. "[FIGHT ME, PATHETIC JACKAL!]" It shouted at the top of its lungs.

"As you wish," Tsuyoi replied. "Rukario, it is time…"

"_For our hearts…"_ Lucario replied.

"_To become one!"_ The two shouted loudly. Streams of light came from Tsuyoi's Key Stone and Lucario's Lucarionite, intertwining. Lucario's dreadlocks grew in length, a reddish pigment emerging at the tips. The blue shorts-like portion on Lucario turned black with a single vertical black stripe on each leg. Spikes erupted from her reddish hands and feet, her tail becoming covered in red/tannish fur. _"So, do you still wish to battle me?"_ Lucario asked, almost sounding smug.

"[ALWAYS!]" Mega Gyarados shouted.

"WHOO HOO! A Mega Fight!" Suzy cheered. "Go get 'em, Onii-chan!"

"Go teach that girl a lesson!" Serena cheered.

Misty smiled. "I don't think so," she replied. "I'll be the one teaching a lesson. Go, Mega Gyarados! Use Giga Impact!" She shouted.

With a mighty shout, the Mega Atrocious Pokémon shot forward, coated in purple energy. Mega Lucario did nothing, simply staring at the oncoming behemoth. "[WHAT'S THE MATTER?! ARE YOU PARALYZED WITH FEAR?!]" The Mega Gyarados shouted as it collided with its target. A massive cloud of water vapor was kicked up by the impact. Misty smirked, certain that her Pokémon had defeated the challenger's. She was in for a surprise. When the dust cleared, Mega Lucario was covered in a blue aura, holding Mega Gyarados in place with a single finger on her left hand. She seemed bored.

"_What exactly is 'courage'?"_ Mega Lucario asked. _"It is becoming one with 'fear' itself!"_ She pulled back her right fist, glowing with a yellow aura in addition to the yellow sparking of ThunderPunch. _"Here's a new one for you, human: Sunlight Yellow Overdrive!"_ Mega Lucario shouted loudly, slugging Mega Gyarados' face with a rapid barrage of ThunderPunches powered up by Close Combat. _"Are YOU overcome with fear, now?"_ Mega Lucario asked as she poured on the power.

Mega Gyarados' Giga Impact dissipated as it began getting thrown backward by the sheer force of the attack. It impacted the wall, causing part of it to crack. Mega Gyarados wasn't done yet, though. It picked itself back up and glared at Mega Lucario. Acting on its own, it charged forward. "[I AM NOT FEAR! **VIOLENCE IS WHAT I AM!]"** It roared, shooting a massive Hyper Beam at Mega Lucario. Lucario dodged the attack, barely avoiding getting severely injured by the attack.

Inside Tsuyoi's mind, Mewtwo was getting scared. He could sense that Mega Gyarados' rage was more than just its normal personality. _[That's what killed me in my fight against Night-walker in Saffron City: wildly flying Hyper Beams. You've got to withdraw Lucario before she gets annihilated!]_

Tsuyoi nodded, He knew that Mewtwo wasn't the type to get nervous, and right now, his Psychic friend was sounding close to terrified. Around him, the Gym was beginning to shake. The force that the out of control Mega Gyarados was exerting was too strong for the building to bear. Tsuyoi withdrew Mega Lucario, sending out Tyranitar. The rampaging Mega Gyarados glared at Tyranitar. **"[HOW CAN YOU HOPE TO DEFEAT ME, HOPELESS FREAK OF A PEBBLE?!]"** It shouted.

Tyranitar glared back. "[I can defeat you, and I will!]" He shouted back. At Tsuyoi's command, the Armor Pokémon threw a massive volley of AncientPower at the rampaging Atrocious Pokémon, but it wasn't enough. The rocks virtually bounced off the Mega Gyarados' face. Even more enraged, the Mega Gyarados shot a massive Hyper Beam out of its mouth. Tyranitar flinched away from the attack, knowing that he was too large and heavy to dodge the might attack. Suddenly, there was a loud BOOM. Tyranitar closed his eyes, awaiting the end. When he didn't feel any pain from the attack, he opened his eyes, and saw a stunning sight: his master was holding back the Hyper Beam and absorbing it through his palms.

"_Get everyone to safety! NOW!"_ Tsuyoi shouted, reverting to telepathy. Tyranitar charged forward, picked Misty up as if she weighed no more than a Gastly, and charged out of the building, leaving a Tyranitar-shaped hole in the wall. No one complained, though, due to the grave possibility of imminent death on their minds. Within seconds, the building was vacated, Tsuyoi and the rampaging Mega Gyarados being the only ones in the building. Mega Gyarados stopped its Hyper Beam and used Outrage to try and smash Tsuyoi into a thousand pieces. Making sure not to stay in one place for longer than a second, Tsuyoi scanned the building telepathically for anything capable of causing a Mega Gyarados to rampage. Hypnosis was the move most likely used, and as Tsuyoi knew from previous experience, Night-walker enjoyed using Psychic to control Pokémon. Suddenly, Mega Gyarados' Outrage grew more chaotic and powerful, causing Tsuyoi to stop scanning the building and start trying to figure out a way to defeat the Pokémon in front of him. _[Mewtwo, can you continue scanning the building with your Psychic abilities?]_ He asked.

_[Yes, my friend,]_ Mewtwo replied as he began the Psychic Scan. Within a few stress-filled moments, he had located the culprit. _[Tsuyoi, I have located an anomaly exactly 1 meter _(or about 39 inches)_ above Mega Gyarados' head. I believe it is a Gengar.]_

Tsuyoi nodded. He avoided a smashing attack by Mega Gyarados' head and grabbed one of its whiskers, allowing himself to get tossed into the air. Within a second, he was face-to-face with and had a strong telepathic grip on the invisible Gengar. _"Leave!" _He shouted, throwing Gengar through the air so fast it rivaled Team Rocket in blast-off speed.

Almost immediately, Mega Gyarados seemed to calm down. "[WHAT…HAPPENED?!]" It asked, confused.

"I will explain later," Tsuyoi replied. Suddenly, Mega Gyarados turned a brilliant, formless, semi-see-through red and disappeared. Glad that Mega Gyarados was out of danger, Tsuyoi ran out of the collapsing Gym, using his telekinetic abilities to deflect a shard of ceiling that weighed as much as 5 Snorlax (A/N: Snorlax weighs 1014.1 pounds, so the ceiling shard weighed about 5070.5 pounds!) to the side. He looked toward the exit. Seeing his opportunity, he made a mad dash toward it, jumping rapidly to either dodge pieces of the Gym or use them to propel himself closer to the exit. However, nature always has a way of introducing an element that can't be foreseen. That unforeseen element was a burning ceiling fragment. It sliced through the air quickly, too fast for Tsuyoi to react until it was too late. The fragment sliced open the top of Tsuyoi's head, burning the skin and hair.

**-Outside-**

"Oh no. I hope he got out okay," Sabrina murmured. She was grateful to sense that Mega Gyarados had been recalled, but she was extremely concerned for the safety of her boyfriend.

"Why do you care so much?" Misty asked, curious. "I didn't know-"

Before she could finish her explanation, Suzy backhanded Misty across the face. "WHY DO **YOU **CARE?!" She snapped. "I know you hate my brother, but if it wasn't for him, you wouldn't be here!"

Before anything else could happen, Sabrina walked between the two of them. "It's okay, Suzy," she told the young ninja. "Misty doesn't know yet."

"What don't I know?" Misty asked, irritated at the feeling of being kept in the dark.

"Hopefully, you know how to put out a fire on someone's head," a voice said behind her. Misty turned around to see who it was, and gasped loudly in shock. Tsuyoi's hair was ablaze, along with his forehead.

Thinking quickly, Misty tossed a Pokéball, and a Squirtle came out. "Squirtle, use Water Gun!" Misty ordered. Tsuyoi winced as the Water Gun hit his head. It stung his burnt skin a lot, but it was better than being burned. Suddenly, his knees caved from beneath him, and the world turned black. Misty gasped out loud. She ran forward and took Tsuyoi's pulse. She was relieved to feel a good, strong pulse. "We've got to get him to the Pokémon Center," the orange-haired Cerulean Gym Leader said.

"Most definitely," Sabrina replied. Her eyes glowed, and Tsuyoi floated up from the ground. "The sooner, the better," she added, her voice carrying a worried tone. Suddenly, it clicked for Misty. _(She's gotta have a crush on Tsuyoi, at least,) _she thought.

**-At the Pokémon Center-**

Tsuyoi groaned softly. "What happened?" He asked. His forehead was no longer burning, but he could sense that Sabrina was very worried about him. He opened his eyes, and saw that his hospital bed was surrounded by his friends and Nurse Joy. It was the same one who had talked to Sabrina earlier that day.

"You got badly burned on the top of your head," Nurse Joy replied, applying some fresh antibiotic ointment to the top of his head. "If Misty hadn't acted as quickly as she had, you could've lost the rest of your hair."

Tsuyoi shrugged. "If I lost all of my hair, I wouldn't get upset about it. It's my hair, not my life," the burnt Ninja replied. "So, how much of it did I lose?" He asked.

Nurse Joy picked up a mirror and gave it to Tsuyoi. "You lost a lot on the top of your head," she replied. "I don't know how, but you healed pretty fast from that burn, so your hair might grow back quickly," she added, a hopeful tone in her voice.

Tsuyoi nodded and used the mirror to look at the top of his head. He had completely lost the hair in the middle of his head, and a large swath of hair from that area to his forehead had been burnt off. Nothing remained. After looking at the reflection for a few minutes, he shrugged and gave the mirror back to Nurse Joy. "I do not know if my hair will grow back, but that's okay," he said. "I'm alive, and that's all that matters." _(And I think I know how I could use this to my advantage,)_ he thought inside his mind. _(After all, Goken didn't have hair on the top of his head.)_

Sabrina looked at Nurse Joy. "How long does he have to stay in here?" She asked.

"From the way his head looks, I'd say he's ready to be released right now," Nurse Joy replied.

"That's good," Sabrina said with a sigh of relief.

Three minutes later, Tsuyoi was walking out of the Pokémon Center, leaning on Suzy's shoulder for support. He noticed some commotion over by the ruins of the Pokémon Gym and walked over. Office Jenny was interviewing witnesses to see if they had seen anything or knew anything about how the arena had been destroyed. "Excuse me, but I think I could shed some light on the subject," he said as yet another witness who hadn't seen anything walked away from the Officer.

Officer Jenny turned around, and immediately recognized Tsuyoi. "Didn't I give you a lecture about taking it easy back in Saffron City?" She asked sternly.

"You did, but this mess is not my fault," Tsuyoi replied.

"What does he mean?" Misty asked.

"It's a long story. I'll tell it to you later," Sabrina replied.

"So, did you see what the cause of the collapse was?" Officer Jenny asked.

"I most certainly did," Tsuyoi replied. "I was in the Gym, having a rematch with Gym Leader Misty," he explained. "She had just Mega Evolved her Gyarados. She had it use Giga Impact, but my Mega Lucario knocked it back. When it got up, it went on a rampage, shooting a Hyper Beam at my Pokémon. I attempted to use Tyranitar to defeat it-"

"You mean that Tyranitar that had rampaged in Saffron City?" Officer Jenny interrupted.

"The same," Tsuyoi replied. "I failed. Mega Gyarados shrugged aside Tyranitar's attacks and used a Hyper Beam. I managed to absorb it into my hands and told Tyranitar to get Misty to safety. Everyone else managed to escape through the main entrance. The Mega Gyarados used Outrage to try and crush me. No doubt that's what caused the Gym's collapse. I spent the whole time dodging until I figured out what had caused it to rampage: a sneaky, conniving Gengar. It must have used Hypnosis just as Gyarados was Mega Evolving. I defeated Gengar by throwing it out of the Gym, and then I attempted to make my way out of the Gym in one piece. I was injured, but Nurse Joy patched me up quite well. That's what I saw," Tsuyoi said, ending his tale.

Officer Jenny looked surprised, but finished writing down what Tsuyoi had said. "That explains why a couple witnesses saw a Gengar flying and a Tyranitar bashing through the Gym walls," she said.

"The walls were already weakened by Mega Gyarados," Tsuyoi replied. "That's how Tyranitar escaped so easily." Officer Jenny nodded, and after obtaining some more information from Tsuyoi about the Gengar, went back to the police station. Tsuyoi turned toward Misty. "So, where do you want to finish our rematch?" He asked.

Misty shook her head. "You won," she said. "You saved my life, along with everyone else's."

"Besides," Sabrina added, walking over to Tsuyoi's side, "one of the rules of a Pokémon Gym battle states that in the case of an emergency occurrence of any kind that causes the disruption of the battle, the battle participant who has the least number of Pokémon unable to battle is officially the winner." She smiled briefly at Misty, and gave Tsuyoi a kiss on the lips. "You're always a winner to me, though," she said to him. Misty was shocked. Sabrina had never been the social type, and it seemed impossible that she could have a boyfriend so soon after finally becoming somewhat social. Suzy chuckled softly at Misty's stunned expression.

"H-h-how long have you been together l-like th-this?" Misty asked.

"Oh, about a week," Sabrina replied. "That's why you hadn't heard of it before today."

Misty nodded, and ran off to her house, hoping that her sisters were okay. They could be absolutes jerks, but after what she'd just been through, she wanted to make sure they were okay. Only a few minutes after she had left, a young man ran up to the group. Sabrina stepped in front of Tsuyoi, not knowing what the youth wanted, but Tsuyoi walked in front of her. _"I know this person_," he said. He walked over to the youth, and asked, _"Why are you here?"_

"I'll tell you everything you need to know, but not right now," the boy replied, looking around nervously. "It's not safe, here. The walls have eyes and ears."

Tsuyoi nodded. Beckoning for his friends to join him, he followed the boy. _"They're trustworthy,"_ he said when the boy looked back and saw them.

The boy led them to a small building not too far from the Gym. He opened the door enough to squeeze through. "Come on," he whispered. Tsuyoi walked in without a moment's pause, and Sabrina followed close behind. She didn't know the youth, but knew that if Tsuyoi trusted him, she could, too. Ash and Serena followed, Lucario and Sabrina's newest Pokémon, Zoroark, went next, and Clemont was the last to enter after letting Suzy in. "We're all here?" The boy asked.

"_Yes, we are,"_ Tsuyoi replied._ "Now, Tatsu, why are you here? I thought you didn't like to be in a city very much."_

"I don't," Tatsu replied, "but I have information that I think you'll find interesting. It's about Team Rocket."

Tsuyoi was immediately interested. _"Is there any charge?"_ He asked.

"No," Tatsu replied. "Not this time." He paused for a moment, and continued. "There's a Team Rocket base not too far from here. Its entrance is hidden in a small hill, but I've located another secret entrance very close to this building. There's been a lot of activity around here lately. I think they might be working on something big."

"_I will depart immediately,"_ Tsuyoi replied, interrupting Tatsu.

"No, you won't," the boy replied. "They've got scanners installed in there that you can't fool. They've got machines that scan your eyes and fingerprints. There's no way that you can bypass them with what you have. You'd need a Ditto, or an illusionist, or something similar."

Tsuyoi nodded, and he sat down, his face drawn out in deep thought. All that was missing from the moment was a flap-eared cap and an old-styled smoking pipe, and Tsuyoi would've almost passed for the great Sherlock Holmes. Suddenly, Tsuyoi smiled, and he looked at Sabrina. A minute passed in silence, but no one asked what was going on. They, including Tatsu, knew that the two trainers were communicating through a Psychic Link, which the others couldn't hear. _"Think it'll work?"_ Sabrina asked telepathically.

"_I have no doubt it will. There's too much at stake for him to fail,"_ Tsuyoi replied with a slight smirk and a telepathic chuckle.

"So, what's the plan?" Clemont asked, voicing everyone's thoughts.

Tsuyoi looked over at Zoroark. "_Are you up for a little breaking-and-entering Team Rocket's place?"_ He asked.

Zoroark immediately shook his head, causing the ponytail-like hair on his head to shake back and forth like a flag. _"Oh, no way am I going back to that scary place! Do you know what that mean man does to Pokémon?"_ He protested.

"We know you don't want to go there because of what happened in the past, but we need you," Sabrina pleaded.

"_I don't care. I'm not going there_!" Zoroark snapped, looking panicked.

"_Very well. It would appear that I must use an offer you just can't refuse," _Tsuyoi replied. _"That is, if you're still willing to listen to the offer."_

"_What's the offer?" _Zoroark asked, intrigued in spite of himself.

"_Simple: You break into the nearby Team Rocket base, and you get one date with my Lucario,"_ Tsuyoi replied.

"_Wait, what?!"_ Lucario said, almost shouting. _"You'll let him do what?!"_

"It's only one date," Sabrina replied. "Surely, a strong Lucario like you can keep a Zoroark in line for a couple hours or so, right? You do know Aura Sphere, right?"

"_I do, but that's beside the point!"_ Lucario protested. _"Don't you have a Ditto or something?" _She asked Sabrina.

"I don't have a Ditto," Sabrina replied, "but I have a Zoroark who seems to like you, and we need to give him some motivation. Look at it this way. We're only asking you to endure his company for half an hour, at least, and if you don't like him, no second date."

Lucario appeared to think about it, her cheeks flushed a light pink underneath her fur. After a few minutes, she looked up, looking Zoroark in the eye. _"Y-yes?"_ Zoroark asked, nervous under Lucario's intense gaze.

"_Come back in one piece, please"_ Lucario said, a concerned tone creeping into her normal telepathic tone. _"I don't date bits and pieces."_

Zoroark nodded. _"Yes, ma'am,"_ he replied solemnly, hiding the hopeful tone in his voice. All he had to do was go into a building ran by the people he hated and feared, get some kind of information, and get the heck out without being spotted. Shouldn't be too easy, right?

"Then it's decided," Tatsu replied. "You'll have to leave at once, Zoroark." He walked over to the center of the sparsely furnished room and tapped his foot against a spot on the floor. A panel of fake wood shifted to the side. It slid into a hidden slot under the panel next to it, revealing a small tunnel. "That's the second entrance," Tatsu explained. "It's got cameras after the next half a mile, but I think it best that you best use your Illusion ability right now, or very soon."

"Wait a minute," Ash protested. "Zoroark, have you improved your Illusion?" He asked.

Zoroark nodded, and appeared to transform into a typical Team Rocket Grunt: Black brimless cap, black jacket, black pants, and grey boots, the jacket having the Team Rocket symbol on the back. "I've improved it so I don't have a visible tail, and that I'm not appearing to use telepathy," he replied 'verbally'. "So, do I have a time limit?"

"You don't," Sabrina replied. "Just don't take too long. For all our sakes," she added, looking at Lucario. She walked forward, giving Zoroark what appeared to be a Poké Buck. "It's got a hidden microphone in it," she explained. "You won't be able to communicate with us with it, but we'll be able to hear everything that's going on where you are. It has a 50 foot radius, so you will be able to pick up a lot of information that way."

"Once you're gone, I'll seal the hole so that if we have to leave, no one stumbles on the Team Rocket base and puts them on alert, accidentally or otherwise," Tatsu added. "Once you're back, tap the wood panel twice, and you'll be able to get out."

"Right, then," the disguised Zoroark replied, walking over to the hidden ladder. He pocketed the bugged Poké Buck. "What if my cover's blown? What if I'm surrounded by Grunts and unable to escape?"

"_We will have Deoxys standing by to teleport you out if things get hairy,"_ Tsuyoi replied. _"I will provide a distraction so that you can escape from the room."_

Zoroark nodded, feeling somewhat reassured by Tsuyoi's words. He didn't know what a Deoxys was, but it sounded powerful. "Bye," he said, climbing down the ladder, descending from sight.

Tatsu tapped the fake wood, and the missing panel shifted back into place. "Now, we wait…" He said.

**-Underground, moving in the direction of Rocket Outpost XY-**

_(Oh, the things I do to get a date,)_ Zoroark thought as he walked through the dark tunnel, _(even if it's the first time I've done something for a date.)_ The tunnel had lights, but they were only strong enough to give just enough light to allow the user of the tunnel to walk without tripping and falling, unless they were disposed to tripping and falling easily. _(I just hope this thing gets past those scanners,)_ he thought, resisting the urge to pull the Buck out of his pocket. He didn't know if he was on camera or not, but he didn't want to risk pulling it out and blowing his cover before he got any information for his trainer and her friends. After walking quickly for a few minutes, Zoroark came to what appeared to be a solid metal slab blocking the tunnel. A small green light appeared, projecting a thin, flat beam. Zoroark realized it was scanning him. The beam shifted downward slowly, then shifted upward slowly, scanning Zoroark from the bottoms of his fake shoes to the top of his fake hat. Apparently satisfied, the beam vanished, and the metal slab shifted to the side. Zoroark walked through the doorway. He tried not to panic when he heard the door close behind him. _(Just keep going forward, and stay calm,)_ his sensible side said.

_(Like that'll happen,)_ his sarcastic, panicky side replied eloquently.

Almost immediately, Zoroark found himself in a small room with a lot of people in it, and he quickly assimilated himself with the group. They all had a uniform on that looked similar to his. Even the women had a similar outfit. There were no variations as far as Zoroark could see. A Team Rocket Grunt approached him. "New recruit, eh?" He asked.

"Um…uh…y-yes," Zoroark stuttered out of nervousness.

"Nervous? Can't blame ya," the Grunt replied sympathetically. "I was nervous my first day, too." He looked over Zoroark's shoulder and looked nervous. "It's the boss! Act like you're busy," the Grunt advised.

Not sure what to do, Zoroark reached into his pocket, pulling out a notebook. He began writing imaginary plans on it, something it seemed a normal Grunt would do. He looked over his shoulder, and saw Giovanni walking slowly through the room. He was well-dressed, wearing a brown suit jacket, a whitish shirt underneath, black pants, black shoes, and a black tie. He didn't make eye contact with anyone, looking straight ahead as he walked. He turned abruptly to the disguised Zoroark. "Follow me," he said simply.

"Y-yes, sir," Zoroark replied. Giovanni nodded and began walking. Zoroark obediently followed, wondering where they were going. As far as he knew, his disguise was perfect. After a few minutes of walking, the two arrived at their destination: a large door similar in appearance to the one Zoroark had entered the base through. Giovanni leaned forward, pulling the lid on his right eye upward. A machine scanned the eye and quickly determined that Giovanni's eye, at least, was authentic. Satisfied that the first test was complete, Giovanni placed his right hand on a pad, allowing another machine to scan his handprint. This machine determined that the hand resting on its sensor was the hand of Giovanni, Leader of Team Rocket, and the door opened.

"Keep a lookout at the door while I'm making this call," Giovanni ordered.

"Yes, sir!" Zoroark replied, his voice a tad less shaky than previous.

Satisfied with the response, the Leader of Team Rocket stepped inside the room. It was relatively large, and was bare except for a few seats to the right side of the room. Giovanni went to one of them and sat down. Satisfied that he was alone, he activated his Xtransceiver. "This is Giovanni, Leader of Team Rocket, contacting Cyrus, Leader of Team Galactic. Cyrus, respond." Giovanni said. As expected, a hologram of Cyrus appeared in the empty room. To Giovanni's surprise, however, another figure appeared. This new figure, a man, had a brownish jacket, brown gloves, and black pants with matching shoes. His hair had shades of red, orange, and yellow, similar to the colors in the mane of a male Tyroar. "Who is this?" Giovanni asked Cyrus.

"This is my newest associate," Cyrus explained. "He's a former criminal Team Leader like I am, and is on the run from police. I have offered him protection in exchange for…information. I believe the information he has will be invaluable in your quest to rid yourself of the Psychic thorn in your side."

"Cyrus has told me a lot about you," the new figure replied, "and while I am unable to provide much assistance in manpower, I can provide you with invaluable information about the boy you're facing, but before we get any further, I should introduce myself. My name is Lysandre, and I was once the leader of Team Flare in the Kalos Region. We had but a simple mission: to create the perfect world. There was a time when my team and I were _so_ close to achieving this objective, but then, we were attacked. Do you know this boy?" He asked as he pulled out a picture of a young boy, almost a young adult, in black ninja robes. Very little of his skin showed, but Giovanni recognized him right away. The Leader of Team Rocket nodded in reply. "His name is Tsuyoi Kokoro," Lysandre said grimly, "and he was a thorn in my side, too. I assume you know about how flawed this world is, how few resources there are to go around, whether those resources are necessary for survival or not."

"I do know that," Giovanni admitted.

"Then you know that the only way to make a truly beautiful and perfect world is to reduce the surplus population of the planet, for when there are less people, there are more resources per group of people. Unfortunately, there are those who would not agree with my plans. They were perfectly fine with this chaotic, torn world we live in. Tsuyoi was their leader. About eight years ago, I first met Tsuyoi. He was a young, strong trainer who was concerned solely with making himself the strongest there ever was. I attempted to use this to convince him that joining my team was the wisest course of action, but he disagreed, saying that I was beneath him in power. He defeated me and left the city. I had my men keep an eye out for Tsuyoi, but he never showed up. Years passed, until we had a break in our search. This happened about eight months ago. An agent of mine living in the mountains sent news that she had found Tsuyoi, and that he'd agreed to join my cause. I gave him information that would allow him to find his way to my base where he would be able to talk with me personally. In return, when he entered my base, he assaulted my scientists, leaving a trail of destruction in his wake. It was at that moment that I realized he was an agent of the chaos I had been attempting to eradicate by building the ultimate weapon. He broke through my most trusted guards and forcibly attacked myself and my Tyroar. I was forced to remove Xerneas and Yveltal, two of the most powerful Pokémon from the Kalos Region, from their positions in the ultimate weapon so that I could defend myself. That blasted boy stole them from me and fled. 'This is the end of your plans,' he said. As if to rub it in even further, he told Yveltal to use Hyper Beam, and the blasted thing obeyed him. He left me to die, but I survived. I proved that I was one of the people worthy of continuing to survive in the perfect world. I have a list of the Pokémon he had when he fought me. They are as follows: Deoxys, Salamance, Absol, Lucario, and Xerneas and Yveltal."

Giovanni paused to consider the Pokémon Tsuyoi had. "And do you know if he still has these Pokémon with him?" He asked.

"He released Xerneas and Yveltal, and in doing so, revealed his stupidity and naïveté," Lysandre replied bitterly. "The little fool. He had incredible power at his disposal, and what did he do with it?! He threw it away!" His image and Cyrus' image flickered slightly. "The authorities are drawing near to our position," Lysandre noted grimly. "We have to leave now or risk capture."

"Go, then," Giovanni replied. "I hope to speak with you two gentlemen at a later time." Lysandre and Cyrus nodded as their images blinked from sight. Giovanni pressed the End Call button on his Xtransceiver. "Gengar, I assume you have news for me?" He asked the Ghost/Poison Pokémon floating nervously behind his chair.

"_I failed you, master,"_ the Gengar replied hesitantly. _"I was unable to use Gym Leader Misty's Mega Gyarados to defeat and kill the boy."_

"If you HAD succeeded in that endeavor, you most definitely would've failed," Giovanni replied standing and turning to face the Gengar, "and for the most part, you HAVE failed. I told you to observe the boy for me, not to launch an assault of any kind on him." He groaned softly. "Were you seen?" He asked.

"Somehow, the human spotted me while I was invisible," Gengar said, incredulity in his voice. "He threw me with his mind!"

Giovanni glared at the Gengar, silencing him. "Be glad I find your abilities useful and irreplaceable. Otherwise, I would find another to fill the position you so enjoy," he said. "Now, get out of my face!" Gengar skittered away, phasing through the wall to evade his boss' anger. With an annoyed sigh, Giovanni walked to the door. "Bunch of useless cretins," he muttered. "If only I had a few minions more like you," he said, turning to the disguised Zoroark. "You actually seem a bit useful, and on top of that, you've got a lot of potential, young man. Stay around a while, and you could be an Administrator someday."

"Thank you, sir," Zoroark said as he bowed in respect to Giovanni, who walked away to take care of other business. Deciding it was about time to leave, Zoroark started walking back to where he'd entered the base. He was glad he'd remembered the directions he took when walking behind Giovanni. He walked past a dark room, unremarkable in outward appearance, but something made him stop: two small colored lights glowing inside the room. Turning around, the disguised Zoroark approached the door. It had a keypad to type in a coded password to open the door. Zoroark immediately began searching around the area of the keypad, and his search was soon rewarded. Some Team Rocket Grunt had written the password down on a note, and the note had been folded and stuffed between the keypad and the wall. The password was **150-384-487-493**. Zoroark typed in the password, hoping that the note left behind by the dumb Rocket Grunt had a genuine password. He was not disappointed. The door slid to the right, and Zoroark entered the room. He moved toward the two glowing lights in the room, and he soon realized what they were. One of the objects was the legendary Tyranitarite, already set in a wristband designed for a Tyranitar to wear. Zoroark pocketed the Mega Stone and its wristband. _(Better Tsuyoi and Sabrina deal with it. They'll know what to do,)_ he thought. He looked at the second glowing object. It was a tablet that a Rocket Grunt had left behind, no doubt the same one that left the note. Zoroark reached for the tablet, but stopped. Something wasn't right. He had gotten in far too easily.

"What's the matter?" A familiar voice said behind him. "Have the feeling that something isn't right, that you may have walked into a trap, Zoroark?" Zoroark turned to see who it was. He was not surprised to see it was Giovanni. "You may as well drop the disguise," Giovanni continued. "I know it's you."

Zoroark glared at Giovanni and dropped his disguise. _"How did you guess?" _He asked, baring his teeth.

"Call it a gut feeling," Giovanni replied. "That, and the fact that the illusion resembled my average Team Rocket Grunt a little too well." He walked over to the tablet left on the table. "Get a good look?" He asked. Zoroark said nothing. "Very well," Giovanni said as he turned the tablet off. "I suppose I could tell you what my plans are, since you aren't getting out of here alive, or in one piece." He paced about the room. After a few minutes, he spoke. "This is one of the worst years in the history of Team Rocket. Most of our bases, aboveground or belowground, have been invaded by the authorities and shut down or completely destroyed. It's becoming harder and harder to evade the authorities. Their Pokémon are getting more and more thoroughly trained, and the officers are getting harder and harder to bribe, and they were hard enough to bribe to begin with. Are you understanding all of this?" He asked, looking at Zoroark. Getting only a silent stare, he continued. "What better way to ensure the safety of my team, and the accomplishment of our goals, than to enter into an alliance with two former Team Bosses? I'm certain you overheard our conversation. They will give me men, competent men who will carry out my orders without question or qualm, and together, we will overthrow the Indigo Plateau, the seat of the Kanto Elite Four, and with that accomplished, I will rule the Kanto Region. After that, I will give my associates the power they need to rule their regions."

"_You will be stopped,"_ Zoroark rebutted.

"By whom? You?" Giovanni asked. He gave a signal with his hands, and the room was suddenly feeling crowded. The door slammed shut. "You can't escape. My men have glasses that filter out illusions, and you can't use any of your attacks in a small space."

Suddenly, the door was ripped off its hinges by a strong Psychic force. _"Then I believe it's time to open up some space," _an all too familiar telepathic voice replied.

Giovanni turned toward the far corner of the room slowly, a look of horror on his face as he saw an undiscernible glow there. "It can't be!" He exclaimed.

"_It can, and it is,"_ the voice continued.

"Who are you?"

"_Ask me who I was in life," _the voice retorted.

"Wh-who were you, then?" Giovanni asked. Noticing that the Team Rocket Grunts and their leader were transfixed by the glowing light like a bunch of Venonat, began to slowly sneak out of the room.

"_I was Mewtwo, the one you used to call your ultimate creation ere I was replaced,"_ the voice replied.

Gathering his wit, Giovanni growled, "And you were destroyed by one superior to you, and he will do it again!"

Mewtwo's voice chuckled softly. _"You cannot kill what is already dead. I promise you this, 'old friend': you will be stopped. That is an unavoidable fact."_

"Really?" Giovanni asked. "Then what do you say to this: a Deoxys embryo infused with fresh Zoroark DNA?"

"_And where, pray tell, will you obtain this 'fresh Zoroark DNA from?"_ Mewtwo's voice countered.

"From the Zoroark behind me," Giovanni replied as he turned around. To his shock, there was no Zoroark. "Alright, which one of you is the Zoroark?" He asked.

Any coherent reply was drowned out by the Grunts all protesting that they were really who they said they were. Mewtwo's voice chuckled. _"You can't control everything,"_ it replied sagely, _"and I am especially beyond your control. Your plans will fall, and with them, your organization will collapse like a house of cards in a Twister attack."_ The light faded, and Giovanni gave a loud shout of anger. Suddenly, the walls began to shake. "Emergency Base Collapse measures initiated. Estimated time until total collapse: six minutes," the automated warning blared.

Giovanni kicked the wrenched door in frustration. "The Lord of the Reverse World will _not_ be pleased," he said, giving the corner one final look before fleeing. The base was completely evacuated within five minutes. After the six minutes had passed, absolutely nothing happened.

**-Secret entrance to Rocket Outpost XY-**

Inside the house, Deoxys stared at the hidden entrance to the Rocket base. _"Master has been gone for a long time,"_ it said telepathically. _"I hope that he is okay."_

Before anyone could say anything, there was a tapping noise coming from underneath the floorboards. The panel Deoxys was staring at withdrew, revealing a triumphantly smiling Tsuyoi. "I'm sorry if I kept you all waiting," he apologized.

"_Wh-what was that?"_ Zoroark wondered. _"What was that light I saw?"_

Tsuyoi smiled. "I hijacked the sound systems," he explained. "That Pokémon Buck I gave you, Zoroark, had a hidden projector within it. It projected a ball of white light that seemed to float in the air, and because there was no shadow, you were able to sneak out of the room, where my Deoxys teleported you to safety."

"_What happened after that? How did you get into the base?"_ Zoroark asked.

Tsuyoi fell silent for a moment. "After you walked in, the security system was shut down for a few minutes for maintenance and updating," he replied after a moment. "Somehow, I was able to sense that, and seeing my opportunity, I snuck into the base, bypassing the inert systems, and I used my stealth skills to make my way through the crowds to get to the main computer room. Once I was there, I hacked into the system and downloaded the information I needed. Once I was done, I activated the projector, which was the primary distraction. Still, in order to escape a crowd made aware of an intruder in their midst, I had the computers give a fake 'Collapse Imminent' alarm to make everyone abandon the base. I managed to snag the tablet Giovanni told you about. I trust you still have the Tyranitarite?" He asked.

Zoroark nodded and removed the Mega Stone from the fur on his right side. _"I think you have some explaining to do,"_ he said.

"Indeed, I do," Tsuyoi replied, accepting the Mega Stone from Zoroark. "I found no trace of a Deoxys embryo anywhere in the base. I believe Giovanni was bluffing about that. Anyways, Lysandre was right for the most part. Our world is a flawed one, but that's what makes it beautiful. If perfection existed, technology could be at a near-fatal standstill. Yes, he made contact with me at the age of 11, but I wasn't interested in joining a criminal gang. Something about it just wasn't right, and I felt my talents were better suited for non-illegal activities, so I refused. He and his group continued stalking me wherever I went, so I took the opportunity to fulfill a dream of mine, which was to travel across the world. I returned to the Kalos Region about eight months ago, having heard through sources that shall never be identified that Lysandre had perfected an ancient weapon capable of wiping out massive swaths of population, human and Pokémon alike. I believed I didn't have enough time to alert Officer Jenny, the Elite Four, and Champion Diantha of the impending danger, so I had to take matters into my own hands. I forced my way into the hidden base. I did not attack anyone directly, but I fought for a brief while against the chief scientists of Team Flare who decided to interfere with my quest. When I entered the inner sanctum of the Team Flare base, Lysandre ordered his Tyroar to use Thunder Fang on me directly, but I countered by brushing it to the side with my Psychic powers. A deliberately weakened Psycho Boost from Deoxys knocked Tyroar unconscious, but the battle was far from over. Lysandre used both Xerneas and Yveltal against me, but I was able to capture them in Ultra Balls because Lysandre never had done so. I had Yveltal destroy the machine, and I left the base through a hole in the cave wall Rukario dug. I deliberately left the hole open that Lysandre could use it to escape if he wished. From the sounds of the conversation, he didn't wish to use my tunnel to escape, no doubt believing it was a trap. I can assure you it wasn't. I might've been different back then, but I was not a murderer at all. The tunnel simply wasn't large or wide enough to haul Lysandre through it. Once I was free of the base, I escaped to the countryside where I attempted to release the two Pokémon that had once powered the weapon. One left, but the other stayed with me."

"Well, who left?" Ash asked.

"And who stayed?" Bonnie asked, also.

Tsuyoi was about to reply, but stopped. "We'd best get moving," he said, recalling Rukario. "No telling whether or not the Rocket Grunts have figured out that the impending base collapse was a hoax." The group left the house without being spotted, and Tatsu took his leave. Tsuyoi looked at the sky. "I think I'll head outside the city for a few hours. I must get ready for the Contest." He walked to the south, soon exiting by the same path he'd used to enter the city. He looked around. Realizing that he hadn't been followed by Team Rocket Grunts, he called out two of his Pokémon. "Darkrai, Bangiras, you're up," he said.

"_What is your wish, sir?"_ Darkrai asked. Ever since Tsuyoi had freed Darkrai from Colress' control, the Nightmare Pokémon had nothing but respect for the human.

"_I need your help in testing something,"_ Tsuyoi replied. He pulled out two thin pieces of metal from his pocket. They looked like coins, but had no faces on them. Darkrai received one piece, and Tyranitar received the other. _"Place the metal piece on your arm or shoulder. It doesn't matter which one,"_ Tsuyoi said. Tyranitar put his metal piece on his left shoulder, Darkrai putting his piece on his right arm. _"Now, Darkrai, fire a small Hyper Beam through your hands and repeat after me: Metsu HADOOOOOOOOOOKEEEEEEN!"_

Darkrai nodded, and shot a small Hyper Beam from his hands, yelling _"{Metsu HADOOOOOOOOOOKEEEEEEN!}"_ To his surprise, he sounded exactly like Ryu. _"What is this?"_ He asked.

"_A voice modulator,"_ Tsuyoi explained. _"It'll allow you to sound like a number of famous figures, fictitious or realistic. In your case, you sound like Ryu. The voice modulator is small enough that it'll be almost impossible to detect when you're in full costume. Now, Tyranitar,"_ Tsuyoi said, revealing his Key Stone, _"It is time…"_

"_For our hearts"_

"_To become one!"_ The two shouted at the same time. Tyranitar grew taller as the holes in its torso grew larger. His stomach turned from blue to hunter orange, and his tail elongated. _"Now, Tyranitar. Repeat after me: I shall grind beneath my heel ALL that exists."_

Tyranitar nodded, and replied in a menacing voice that sounded exactly like that of a certain villain from Street Fighter, _"{I shall grind underneath my heel EVERYTHING that exists!}"_

Tsuyoi shook his head. _"Not quite, but that's okay. We've got plenty of time before the Contest, though,"_ he replied. He looked back at the bushes behind him. "Enjoy the show, Sabrina?" He asked verbally.

Sabrina, Ash, Bonnie, and Suzy walked out of the bushes. "Wow! That was REALLY cool!" Bonnie explained.

Tsuyoi smiled. "I'm glad you liked it," he replied. "That's just a fraction of what is to come, though. If you wish, I will reveal the Pokémon that decided to stay with me." Without waiting for a reply, Tsuyoi turned around and pulled an Ultra Ball from his belt, pressing the button to activate it. "Pokémon, arise!"

_**And so concludes another exciting chapter in the saga of Ash and his friends. They have learned of great secrets and marvelous techniques held by the ninja Tsuyoi. They have also learned that Tsuyoi has a past with Lysandre, the leader of Team Flare of the Kalos Region, who has entered into an alliance with Giovanni, who is in the process of questioning an alliance **_**HE **_**himself has made…**_

**-Reverse World-**

"**What news have you brought? It had better be good,"** a deep, grim voice said from within the darkness.

"The youth proves more resilient than anticipated," Giovanni admitted. "MUCH more resilient. If you had given me a Gengar that could follow orders, we wouldn't be in this mess, Dark-"

"**This is YOUR fault!"** The deep voice interrupted. **"You lead, but without any REAL power. If you knew how to use real power, my Gengar would not have made his attempt to kill the boy. You are soft, human. You need to rule with an iron claw."**

"I know, Dark Giratina," Giovanni replied, staring at his shoes. "That's why I've increased punishment for failure to carry out-"

"**That is not good enough,"** Dark Giratina interrupted again. **"Your paltry attempts to discipline your troops is nothing more than temporary imprisonment with a definite end, and suspension of payment that also has a definite end! You must make it known that you will not accept failure, that failure is cause enough to have the perpetrator thrown in your imprisonment areas for an indefinite period of time. If they resist, kill them. There is no room for failures in my new world. Now, are we clear?"**

"Yes, Dark Giratina, Lord of the Reverse World," Giovanni said, staring at his shoes.

"**Good. You are dismissed…"**

**To Be Continued…**

**I'm sorry for taking so long to type this chapter, but life's been incredibly complicated since I graduated from a certain college. I've been busy with attempting to ready myself for a new college, which I've started going to. I snuck in a couple references. I snuck in a couple Street Fighter references, two of which aren't as obvious as the other (E.R. and Onii). I also snuck in a Young Justice reference. No doubt my good friend SuperHeroTimeFan will be able to recognize it with ease. I also snuck in a couple lines from a game that you may have never heard of. It's called JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All Star Battle.**

**In my opinion, when one is charging a beam attack in their hands and they're turning away from their targets, it can only be one of three things: a Kamehameha Wave attack, a Hyper Beam, or a Metsu Hadoken, the former being an iconic Dragon Ball technique, and the latter being one of the iconic Street Fighter moves. Lysandre is wrong. Tsuyoi kept one of the Legendary Kalos Pokémon, but which one? Did he keep the Fairy-type Xerneas, or did he keep the Dark/Flying Yveltal? Vote on the new poll on my profile to help me decide which Legendary Tsuyoi still has with him.**

**I have to thank **** 1 for the idea of having Zoroark breaking into the secure Team Rocket facility. This is why I write: so that people can give me their ideas on how to improve the story. Yes, I know that I need to update more often, but life has an odd way of messing you up when you've got plans.**

**The next chapter will be a 9/11 special. It will not have anything to do with the progression of the story, but I feel it's a chapter that needs to be written. We cannot afford to forget what happened on that fateful day 14 years ago. May we never forget…**


	8. Remember the fallen

**This is a chapter composed in honor of those who lost their lives on this day fourteen years ago. It was a tragic event, and I hope to honor it by producing a worthy chapter. The events of this chapter take place before Ash and his friends arrived at Cerulean City.**

**-Chapter 8: Honoring the Fallen-**

Bonnie looked around at the crowd of people who had gathered at what seemed to be a random spot on the Route. "Why are we here?" She asked.

"Shhh. You'll find out soon enough," Clemont replied.

He looked to the stage. Standing there was a music singer whose name he didn't know, talking about the terrible tragedy that had occurred fourteen years prior. "On this day, fourteen years ago, terrorism showed its true face," the singer said passionately. "On that day, many people lost their lives to senseless tragedy. I ought to know," the singer added sadly. "I lost my beloved wife and daughter that day." He looked out over the crowd. "Is there anyone here who lost someone or something that fateful day?" A large number of hands went up. "Anyone wish to share with the rest of the crowd who they lost?" He asked.

A young woman in her 30s walked up on the stage. "My name is Reina, and fourteen years ago, on this day, I lost my husband. He was part of the Flight that fought back, the one that saved the Indigo Plateau from destruction. Before the plane went down, I received a text from him," Reina added, her eyes watering with emotion. "It said: 'We may lose our lives today, but we're going to take these terrorists with us. I love you. Tell our daughter I love her.' And that's the last message I ever received from him," Reina ended, crying softly as she walked off the stage.

"Anyone else?" The singer asked.

An older man walked up on stage. "My name is Aishīhāto Masuda," The old man began. "My wife was also on the same flight as the husband of the young lady who spoke. The flight was scheduled to go to Pewter City, home of the Museum. I wanted to go there, but my emphysema was getting worse, and I had to stay behind in Vermilion City to receive medication while my wife went to the Museum without me. It shocked me to see the planes crashing into the old World Trade Center towers in Saffron City. About an hour after those planes crashed, I received a call from my wife. She said, 'Some idiot has hijacked the plane. I don't know who he thinks he is, but when I get my hands on him, I'm gonna hit him so hard on the head that even his grandmother will feel it.'" The old man chuckled quietly. "Even in times of stress, especially in times of stress, my wife could have a fiery temper that could rival that of even the most ornery Primeape. I have no doubt that when the plane was going down, my wife was whacking those terrorists over the head with all her strength, calling them all sorts of things, 'coward' being the most likely…" The old man paused for a moment, his eyes tearing up. He quickly regained himself and walked off the stage, murmuring about how his wife had probably died saying, "Turn this plane around, or I'll plant my cane where the Sun don't shine!"

The singer nodded. "Anyone else?" He asked.

To Clemont's surprise, Tsuyoi walked up on stage. "I would like to remain anonymous," he started.

"You may. You're not required to give your name," the singer replied.

Tsuyoi nodded, and continued. "I was very young on that day, only about four years old, but that day changed my entire life. Before that day, I was a naïve, young child in a remote village, eagerly awaiting the day that he turned ten years old, when he could become a Pokémon Trainer. I watched on the village's television as the two planes smashed into the World Trade Center towers. One plane was shocking enough, but two planes crashing into the towers shocked me to the core. 'What could drive a person to do this?' I wondered out loud.

'Evil,' the village elder said to me, trying to keep his voice level. 'Simpleminded evil that cares not what it touches, what it breaks, what it ruins.' I was stunned. I'd never seen the Elder so emotional, and it troubled me deeply, that this calm individual I knew and respected could be so troubled by anything. That day, I lost something I should've been able to keep for years to come. I lost my childish naïveté. Overnight, I changed from happy to quiet and grim. The knowledge that such evil could exist troubled me greatly, and the years have not answered the question: Why does such evil exist in the world?" He paused for a moment, and continued. "We are like th USA. On that day, they suffered a similar tragedy, but just like us, they didn't buckle like thin plate metal when hit by a boulder. They stood firm, said 'Enough of this,' and they refused to let such evil go unchecked anymore, and they composed a song to commemorate their soldiers who had fallen in previous battles, but I believe it's fitting to sing in honor of those who lost their lives on the flights fourteen years ago…" To everyone's surprise, Tsuyoi began singing a song by Lee Greenwood:

If tomorrow all the things were gone  
I worked for all my life  
And I'd had to start again  
Just my children and my wife

I thank my lucky stars  
To be living here today  
'Cause the flag still stands for freedom  
And they can't take that away

And I'm proud to be an American  
Where at least I know I'm free  
And I won't forget the ones who died  
Who gave that right to me

And I gladly stand up next to you  
And defend her still today  
'Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land  
God bless the U.S.A.

From the lakes of Minnesota  
To the hills of Tennessee  
Across the plains of Texas  
From sea to shining to sea

From Detroit down to Houston  
And New York to L.A.  
Where there's pride in every American heart  
And it's time we stand and say

And I'm proud to be an American  
Where at least I know I'm free  
And I won't forget the ones who died  
Who gave that right to me

And I gladly stand up next to you  
And defend her still today  
'Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land  
God bless the U.S.A."

And for the final round of the chorus, the singer, Lee Greenwood himself joined in:

"And I'm proud to be an American  
Where at least I know I'm free  
And I won't forget the ones who died  
Who gave that right to me

And I gladly stand up next to you  
And defend her still today  
'Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land  
God bless the U.S.A."

Lee looked at Tsuyoi. "You've got a strong set of pipes there," he said, nodding in approval. "You ever consider a musical career?"

"I have no," Tsuyoi replied, "but it sounds like a good idea." He turned back to the audience. "Here's another good idea: Never forget what happened." He began to chant "Never forget. Never forget. Never forget."

Lee joined in the chant, and within minutes, the whole crowd was chanting "Never forget", and the chant seemed to hang on the wind long after the crowd had dispersed.

**I know this is a short chapter, but I only wanted it to be as long as it needed to be, and I believe it is long enough. I was young when the Towers fell, so young that I scarcely remember anything about that day. Below is a link to the site where I got the lyrics for "God Bless The USA" from. Never forget, my readers. Never forget…**

music/preview/Trv2urkgytcop27r2xd74iiksra?lyrics=1&amp;utm_source=google&amp;utm_medium=search&amp;utm_campaign=lyrics&amp;pcampaignid=kp-lyrics


	9. Secrets Chaotic

**I do so humbly apologize for the length of time it took to upload Clash of the Titans, but I hope it was worth it. The Lysandre part wasn't initially planned, but I enjoyed writing it because I wanted to add a layer of mystery to Tsuyoi. Before I go any further, I will happily acknowledge my reviewers:**

**ninja of fallen Sakura: I'm glad you enjoyed Clash of the Titans, and that you approved of the 9/11 chapter. Yes, it was short, but I didn't want it to be long. I wanted it to be respectful to those who fell on that day.**

**SuperHeroTimeFan: Thanks for sticking with me and reviewing. I appreciated it a lot. I'm glad you approved of my 9/11 chapter. Yes, it was uploaded shortly after Clash of the Titans, but its very nature meant that it had to be uploaded on 9/11, or there would be no point.**

**I snuck in a Christmas Carol reference when Tsuyoi, speaking in Mewtwo's voice, told Giovanni "Ask me who I was in life". No, that wasn't Mewtwo speaking at all. It was Tsuyoi changing his voice to sound like Mewtwo, playing on Giovanni's all too obvious fear that Mewtwo cannot be killed, that he regenerates over time, which may or may not be a capability of his).**

**There was a bit of a hidden irony in Misty's battle against Tsuyoi. Armaldo is part Rock, part Bug, and Misty is famous for getting scared by Bug Pokémon. Tsuyoi is far from perfect. He has made mistakes in his past, mistakes that have been hinted at in Clash of the Titans and previous chapters. This chapter will bring these dark secrets to light. **

**Now, the Journey continues!**

**Translations:**

**Iberutaru: Yveltal**

**Zeruneasu: Xerneas**

**Dākurai: Darkrai**

**-Chapter 9: Dark Past and Secrets Chaotic-**

"…" Talking/Psychic conversation in flashback

_(…) __thoughts/flashbacks_

_[…] Private psychic link_

[…] Private psychic link during flashback

"[…]" Pokémon speaking

"**[…]"** Out-of-control Pokémon speaking

"…" _Psychic conversation_

_([…])_ Mewtwo and Tsuyoi's Mind-Link

"…" Black Mewtwo Tsuyoi speaking

"…" Corrupted Shadow Mewtwo speaking

"_{…}"_ Pokémon Translator

_**It seems as if adventure follows our heroes wherever they go. Shortly after nearing Cerulean City, our hero Ash was greeted by Misty, and tensions arose between Serena and Misty. Tsuyoi battled Misty, acting as a neutral party, but as the battle went on, Tsuyoi embraced a new role: savior, defeating a Gengar while enduring minor injuries. Shortly after the collapse of the Gym, Tsuyoi retreated from the city to undergo training with his Tyranitar and Darkrai. Having done so, he called out a strange Pokémon for the friends who had seen his training performance…**_

"Pokémon, arise!" Tsuyoi shouted. A menacing bird-like Pokémon came out of the Pokéball. It was almost completely red, had black finger-like projections on the ends of its wings and wing-shaped tail, five projections on each. It glared at those present with greenish-blue eyes that quickly turned purple. Shuddering in dread, Pikachu used Thunderbolt. The Pokémon, Yveltal, dodged the attack, and shot an orangish beam of energy at the Mouse Pokémon. Pikachu dodged, avoiding the attack. Not wanting to be blasted, Pikachu dodged to the left, anticipating another Hyper Beam. It never came. "That's enough, Iberutaru," Tsuyoi said. "There's no need for that."

"_I only wished to teach that annoying rodent to not attempt to attack me, the Chaos Pokémon!"_ Yveltal growled.

Everyone shuddered in fear except for Tsuyoi, who was unaffected by the Dark Aura his Pokémon was radiating. _"I believe Pikachu has most definitely learned his lesson,"_ Tsuyoi replied, staring down the Legendary Pokémon, _"and I believe I asked you to not attack like that. Leading with Hyper Beam is a bad idea, Iberutaru."_

"ASH!" A familiar voice shouted. Ash ran behind Tsuyoi, afraid that this new figure (new to everyone else) would tackle him to the ground like Misty had. A few inches off, and the overeager Cerulean Gym Leader would've driven his side into a rock. Tsuyoi recalled Yveltal, not wanting this new figure to see that he had one of the most fearsome Pokémon in existence. The girl ran up, and stopped in front of Tsuyoi. She had long brown hair with some of it tied up in a red bandana with the Pokéball symbol on it, the rest growing out on the sides of her head. She had on what appeared to be a red biker jacket with matching shorts. "You don't need to hide, Ashy," she said in a sweet voice, earning a death glare from Serena.

"Well, I'm not surprised, May. Ash might have gotten older, but he can be such a kid!" A voice exclaimed from the nearby trees. Everyone looked up to see a well-tanned girl wearing tan clothes, white leggings, and purplish slip-on shoes. Her most prominent feature was her hair. It was much wider than she was, and it was purple. Serena watched as the second girl jumped down from the tree, sticking the landing like a pro. "Hey, Ash. How's it going?" The girl asked conversationally.

"D-doing well, I-Iris," Ash stuttered nervously.

"Aww. He's so bashful. It's so cute," May drawled.

"And he's mine!" Serena said. "And neither one of you is going to take him away from me!"

"Yours?" Iris asked, appearing almost clueless. "I don't believe I caught your name."

"Serena," Serena replied bluntly.

"Well then, Serena," Iris replied back, returning the blunt tone, "guys don't belong to girls, and girls don't belong to guys. From the sounds of it, you consider Ash to be your boyfriend. Right?" Serena nodded, standing next to Ash and clutching his hand with a strong grip that made the Kantonian boy wince, which Iris noticed. "You don't have to break his hand, you know," the purple-haired Unova trainer said, a touch of sarcasm in her voice. "I'm not going to steal him away. I've already got a nice guy, and I am NOT going to cheat on him. I'm not that kind of girl," she finished with a shrug.

Somewhat relieved, Serena released Ash's hand, and Ash promptly began shaking his hand back and forth to try and get some of the blood flowing, and to attempt to relieve some of the pain. Tsuyoi laughed silently at the scene. "What about her?" Serena asked, gesturing over at May.

"Oh, May? She's single," Iris blurted out. "I can't guarantee that she won't try to steal Ash away from you, but you don't have to worry about the other girl."

"What other girl?" A new voice asked. Another girl stepped out of the bushes. She had short dark blue hair that went a little lower than the back of her head. She had the same white hat with a red Pokéball symbol that she had been wearing when Ash had last seen her, but her outfit was somewhat different. She had a dark blue button-up overshirt, a white undershirt, and a pale red skirt that went down to her knees. "Who was the new girl you were talking about? Were you talking about me?" The girl asked.

Behind her was a boy with purple hair. He had on a black jacket, matching jeans, and purple shoes. He had a grim look on his face, but Ash knew that it had softened somewhat over the years. "Hello, Ash," the boy said.

"Hey, Paul. How's it going?" Ash asked. "How are you, Dawn?" He asked the blue-haired girl he'd traveled with in the Sinnoh Region.

"I'm doing well," Dawn replied. She looked at the small gathering of people. She winced when she saw the top of Tsuyoi's head. "Did you burn the top of your head in that Gym fire?" She asked.

Tsuyoi nodded. "It's no big deal," he replied verbally. "It is better to lose one's hair than to lose one's life," he sagely added.

Dawn nodded, and looked over at Suzy. "Who are you?" She asked.

"I'm Suisōgaku, but everyone calls me Suzy," Suzy replied. "This is my boyfriend Clemont," she said, causing Clemont to blush at her publically saying that they were a couple, "his younger sister Bonnie, and Ash's girlfriend Serena-"

"What?! Ash finally found a girlfriend?" Dawn interrupted. "I thought he'd never get a girlfriend. He's so oblivious to everything, it's a wonder he managed to get you, Serena." She paused for a moment to catch her breath, and realized that she'd interrupted Suzy. "S-sorry for interrupting, Suzy," she apologized.

"That's alright," Suzy replied. "You're taking it a lot better than May over there," she said, gesturing toward May, who was having a glaring match with Serena.

Dawn shrugged. "I've already got a boyfriend," she said, giving Paul a peck on the cheek. "Besides, I may have had feelings for Ash once, but he's moved on, and so have I. No point in getting jealous or possessive like my boyfriend."

"I don't get jealous," Paul deadpanned.

Dawn rolled her eyes and snorted. "Really? Then what was that glare you had to Brock walking up to me a few days ago?" She asked. "And don't say that's the way you usually look. I know you, and you're not Sir Frowns-All-The-Time."

Paul nodded, and smiled. "Point taken," he replied, not bothering to mention Brock's habits of flirting with women just about everywhere he'd gone, which had earned him the unofficial title of "Comic Relief".

Turning back to the small group, Dawn looked back at Tsuyoi. "Is he your brother?" She asked.

"Yes," Suzy replied. "My brother's name is Tsuyoi."

"And he's my boyfriend," Sabrina replied, walking over and gently grabbing Tsuyoi's hand in hers.

"Who are you?" Dawn asked, curious. She didn't know any of the Kanto Gym Leaders other than Brock, and he'd talked a bit about each Gym Leader, but hadn't described their appearances very well.

"My name is Sabrina. I'm the Gym Leader of Saffron City," Sabrina replied.

Dawn looked worried as she realized who Sabrina was. "I'm glad you got out okay," she said. "We went through that place a couple days ago. It's a bad place to be."

"There were a lot of Team Rocket Grunts striding around as if they owned the place, which they pretty much did," Paul added. "They're arrogant, and stupid, too. Had to clobber a few of them to get them to leave us alone. If I hear one more 'Stop in the name of Team Rocket', there's gonna be trouble," Paul noted grimly.

Tsuyoi nodded in sympathy. _"You have the bearing of a strong trainer,"_ he said telepathically, _"but I wonder if that is really true."_

"Is that a challenge?" Paul asked, narrowing his eyes, unfazed by Tsuyoi's telepathy.

"_It is," _Tsuyoi replied.

"Let's make a deal," Paul said with a smile on his face. "Whoever wins this battle gets the first strike in the Contest Battle when we meet."

Tsuyoi smiled. _"Deal,"_ he replied. He knew that Paul, if he was as tough and experienced as he looked, he knew the value of having the first strike. _"Here is a good place to have the battle. All we have to do now is have someone be the referee."_

"I'll do it!" Iris replied.

"Perfect," Clemont said. "Iris has no ties to Tsuyoi or Paul, so she's bound to be impartial in any ruling."

"Thank you, Captain Obvious," Paul said. The other trainers moved to the side, allowing Tsuyoi and Paul to take their places in the grassy field.

"This will be a three-on-three battle between Paul and Tsuyoi!" Iris declared. "Both trainers are able to switch out Pokémon as they wish, and the winner will be decided when three Pokémon on one side are unable to battle. Battle begin!"

"Magmortar, stand by for battle!" Paul shouted.

A large, red-and-yellow Pokémon with flames on its head came out of the Pokéball. "[I'll burn everything in my way,]" the Pokémon declared.

Tsuyoi looked at Magmortar. He hadn't seen one before, but he knew that it had the ability Flame Body, which meant that physical attacks wouldn't be much good against it. He made his decision after a few seconds. _"Rukario, you are needed,"_ he said.

"_Let us fight,"_ Lucario replied as she came out of her Pokéball.

"Begin!"

"Magmortar, use Fire Blast!" Paul shouted.

"[Got you at a disadvantage!]" Magmortar yelled as it shot a grouping of flames in the shape of the kanji of 'Fire'.

Lucario smirked. _"I wouldn't know about that,"_ she replied, dodging the attack automatically. At Tsuyoi's telepathic order, she released an Aura Sphere barrage that forced the Blast Pokémon back.

Paul winced as the Aura Spheres made contact with his Pokémon and knocked it down. "Magmortar, get up!" He yelled. Magmortar jumped to its feet, glaring at Lucario. "Use Cross Chop!" He ordered.

Magmortar charged forward, getting ready to cross its arms. _"[Use Aura Gloves!]"_ Tsuyoi ordered. Lucario's hands coated themselves in a layer of Aura, and she charged forward, intercepting the Cross Chop and cancelling it. _"[Close-range Beam, no Hyper!]"_ Tsuyoi said.

"Use Flamethrower!" Paul ordered. Magmortar's Flamethrower was blocked by a powerful Dragon Pulse. The two attacks dueled for supremacy, but eventually, Magmortar's Flamethrower won out, bathing Lucario in a stream of flames.

Sabrina resisted the urge to yell, but was worried about her boyfriend's Lucario. Magmortar jumped back, waiting for the dust generated by the attacks to clear. When it did, everyone was stunned by what they saw. Lucario appeared to be almost uninjured by the Flamethrower. The fire in her eyes had not been reduced, but suddenly, a column of flames shone around her, a sign that she'd been Burned. "That's not good," Viola said, "but how was Lucario not more badly injured by the Flamethrower?"

"It's either exposure training or Aura training," Sabrina replied. "While it sounds abusive, and it sometimes can be when done wrong, exposure training can be quite the experience for Pokémon. It helps when the trainer is actively involved in the exposure, meaning either Tsuyoi has a strong grasp of Aura or he's learned to resist extreme heat. Or both."

On the battlefield, Paul took a moment to gather his thoughts. _(He's using telepathy to communicate with his Pokémon, and Lucario seems to be trained to endure extreme heat, but why is 'she' only Burned?)_ He turned his attention back to the battle. "Magmortar, use Cross Chop again!"

"He's doing the same thing _again_?" Clemont asked in disbelief.

"_[Use Bone Rush!]"_ Tsuyoi ordered. Lucario created a large staff-like bone in her hands and charged forward, ready to meet the Magmortar.

Just before they met, Paul shouted, "Break off and use ThunderPunch!"

Magmortar cancelled the Cross Chop, dodged Lucario's attack, and dashed to the side to land a ThunderPunch to the side. To everyone's surprise, Lucario skillfully parried the strike aside with her Bone Rush, ignoring the damage from her Burn. _"Smart,"_ Tsuyoi said. _"You know that I am using telepathy to communicate with Lucario, and so you attempted to use part of an old combo to lull me into a false sense of security, thus giving you the opening to land a devastating attack. I have trained for such an opponent, but that does not remove the novelty of this battle. Now, let us continue!"_

"I agree. Magmortar, use Overheat!" Paul said. Magmortar shot a massive ball of orange flames from its mouth.

"This could be it!" Suzy said.

"This looks bad for Lucario," Bonnie said, not understanding Suzy's meaning.

Ignoring both, Tsuyoi said, _"[Use Force Palm!]" _Lucario's palms lit up a light blue, and she smacked the Overheat back as if it were a tennis ball.

"Nice try, but I've learned a few tricks from Pokémon Tennis," Paul replied, flashing Dawn a smile. Dawn blew him a kiss. "Send it back!" He said. Magmortar punched the Overheat back over to Lucario with a strong ThunderPunch.

"_[Return to sender,]"_ Tsuyoi ordered. Lucario used Force Palm to hit the Overheat back, and not a moment too soon. As soon as she'd sent it over, Lucario took more damage from her Burn.

Noticing this, Paul ordered Magmortar to catch the Overheat in its hands. The Blast Pokémon caught the Overheat, wound up, and threw it like a fiery, supercharged baseball. _"So, you want to play_ that _game,"_ Tsuyoi noted out loud. _"Lucario, go for the fences!"_ He said.

As Lucario created a Bone Rush between her hands, Sabrina was surprised. She'd never thought Tsuyoi was a sports fan, or even knew some of the terminology. _(One good surprise after another,)_ she thought. Just before the Overheat could hit, Lucario swung the Bone Rush with all her might, ignoring the damage from her Burn. Oddly enough, the sound of the Overheat being smacked back by the Bone Rush sounded exactly like a baseball bat hitting a baseball. The Overheat flew so fast that there was no time for Magmortar to dodge. The projectile hit, causing a large explosion. The dust quickly cleared, revealing a knocked out Magmortar. "Magmortar is unable to battle! Winner is Lucario!" Iris declared.

"You did well, old friend. You've earned your rest," Tsuyoi said verbally, recalling Lucario. He knew she'd taken more damage than it appeared.

"Good work, Magmortar," Paul said as he recalled Magmortar. _(Hmm. This opponent is tougher than he appears. No telling what he could send out next. I know what _I'll_ send out, though,)_ Paul thought.

Sabrina hugged Tsuyoi and gave him a kiss on the lips. "You're doing great," she said flushing slightly. "You had me worried there for a moment."

Tsuyoi nodded. _"I need to work with Rukario on her Dragon Pulse,"_ he said. _"She's stronger than I had thought, though. [Looks like that volcanic training on Stark Mountain paid off,]" _he said, switching to a private psychic link so the others didn't hear.

Sabrina nodded. "Go get 'em," she said, giving Tsuyoi another quick kiss on the lips. She'd never thought she could get addicted to kissing, but Tsuyoi was just so handsome, and he was nice, too.

"Ursaring, stand by for battle!" Paul shouted.

"[Puny opponents! I will smash you!]" Ursaring roared, smashing the ground with its massive claws.

"_Claw vs claw," _Tsuyoi said. _"Salamence, arise."_

"[Let's do this!]" Salamence roared as he flew through the air and landed on the ground.

"Battle begin!"

"Ursaring, use Shadow Claw!" Paul ordered. Ursaring charged forward with a loud roar, claws elongating and glowing a dark purple.

"_[Use Draco Claw,]" _Tsuyoi replied. Salamence's claws elongated and glowed a brilliant orange.

"What is that?" Suzy asked, curious.

"It appears to be a combination of Dragon Claw and Draco Meteor," Sabrina replied, staring at the battle, or as Suzy saw it, staring at Tsuyoi.

On the battlefield, Ursaring charged, unfazed by its opponent's claws. "[I don't care if your claws are Hariyama-hand Red. I'm still stronger than you!]" The Hibernator Pokémon roared aggressively.

"[No. You are not,]" Salamence deadpanned, "[and here's proof.]" He flew forward, Draco Claw at the ready. The two attacks met with a loud bang, and Ursaring was immediately thrown back by the force of the small explosion. Seizing the opportunity, Salamence rocketed forward, smashing Ursaring in the face with an Iron tail, tossing it into the air. Mercilessly pursuing his opponent, Salamence flew up into the air above Ursaring. _"Use Dragon Rage!"_ Tsuyoi ordered. Salamence grinned, creating an orange energy ball that hit Ursaring and exploded, throwing Ursaring at the ground.

"Use Hyper Beam to slow yourself down," Paul shouted. It was too late. Ursaring crashed into the ground and immediately passed out.

"Ursaring is unable to battle! Winner is Salamence!" Iris shouted.

"You did well, Ursaring," Paul said. "Get some rest." He looked at Tsuyoi and growled.

"_What's the matter? Are you angry at your Pokémons' weakness?"_ Tsuyoi asked with a 'smug' tone.

Sabrina and Dawn somehow knew that Tsuyoi wasn't being smug. _(Is Tsuyoi trying to get Paul mad at him?)_ Dawn wondered.

Paul glared at Tsuyoi, although most of the anger in the glare was directed less at the opposing trainer and more at his past self. "My Pokémon are NOT weak! I used to think that way, but not anymore!"

"_Then show me,"_ Tsuyoi replied._ "Show me you believe in your Pokémon, for if one does not truly believe in their Pokémon, they will never see true victory!"_

"I've got my victory right here. Gliscor, stand by for battle!" Paul shouted.

"[Ooh. Wing fight!]" Gliscor shouted.

"Battle begin!"

"Gliscor, use Ice Fang!" Paul ordered.

"_[Incinerate,]"_ Tsuyoi replied. Salamence's wings glowed white with heat as he charged forward toward Gliscor. The Fang Scorp Pokémon dodged under the Incinerate and bit down on Salamence's leg, causing it to become encased in ice. Gliscor let go, allowing Salamence to crash to the ground with a thud._ "[Incinerate, again,]"_ Tsuyoi ordered. Salamence's wings glowed, but it was an orangish glow instead of white, and the ice wasn't melting.

"Gliscor, use Guillotine!" Paul ordered, wanting to press the advantage. Gliscor charged forward, claws expanding to a massive size. The Fang Scorp Pokémon slashed twice, both hits connecting. Salamence, only recently defrosted, collapsed to the ground, swirls for eyes.

"Salamence is unable to battle! Winner is Gliscor!" Iris shouted, bummed that Salamence had lost.

Paul smiled. "Good job out there, Gliscor," he said. "I guess we showed him, didn't we?"

"[We sure did,]" Gliscor replied, smirking at Tsuyoi.

"You did not disappoint," Tsuyoi said verbally. "I was told that you were a bitter old fogey of a person originally, but that you had changed. I am pleased to see that you indeed are a trainer who cares for his Pokémon. Now, care to see how your Fang Scorp deals with one of my strongest Pokémon?"

"Bring it," Paul said, Gliscor clicking its claws together in agreement.

Tsuyoi nodded. _"Abusoru, arise,"_ he said as he cast the Ultra Ball upward.

The ball opened up, revealing Shiny Absol. Paul looked impressed. "A Shiny Absol. Impressive," he admitted. "This will be a good fight."

"Battle begin!"

"Gliscor, use X-Scissor!" Paul ordered.

Claws glowing a light green, Gliscor dashed forward. "[You're finished,]" it shouted. "[I have the upper claw.]"

Absol rolled her eyes and replied, _"You may have the upper claw, but what about the upper horn?"_ She dashed forward, readying her own X-Scissor as Tsuyoi had taught her. The two Pokémon moved rapidly toward each other, readying their attacks.

"_Cancel, and use Hyper Beam_!" Paul and Tsuyoi coincidentally ordered at the same time.

Gliscor and Absol both stopped their X-Scissor attacks and shot beams of orangish energy from their mouths. The beams met with a loud 'BOOM', kicking up a dust cloud. When the cloud cleared, Gliscor and Absol were still trying to overcome each other's Hyper Beam. _"Ice Beam,"_ Tsuyoi ordered. Immediately, Absol's beam turned from orangish-red to bluish-white, shooting around Gliscor's Hyper Beam with ease. Before the Fang Scorp Pokémon could react, it was frozen in a block of ice, just like Salamence had been. As it was falling, Tsuyoi said aloud, "Hyper Beam!" Absol shot an orange beam out of her mouth, crashing into the frozen Gliscor as it crashed into the ground. The ice shattered, and Gliscor passed out.

"Gliscor is unable to battle! Winner is Absol, which means that the winner of this match is Tsuyoi!" Iris shouted.

Tsuyoi smiled at Absol. _"You did excellently,"_ he told the Disaster Pokémon.

"Gliscor, return," Paul said. After recalling Gliscor, he walked over to Tsuyoi. "You were a tough opponent," he said. "I'll see you at the Contest," he added as he turned to walk back to the Pokémon Center, Dawn following him as she gave him all sorts of advice for Contests, the heightened visual appeal of his Pokémon when enhanced by props, and stuff like that.

"_See you there,"_ Tsuyoi replied. He turned around to walk back to his friends.

"That was SSSOOOOOO cool!" Iris exclaimed. "It's too bad that Salamence got knocked out. It looked really strong."

Tsuyoi nodded. _"This is what Salamence wanted: to fight incredibly strong opponents,"_ he replied sagely._ "He doesn't care if he loses. He'll just challenge the trainers for a rematch when the time is right, but that doesn't mean he's going to take it easy on his opponents."_

May, who had spent most of the match glaring at Serena, and vice versa, looked up at the sky. "It's getting late," she observed. "I'm gonna head back to the Pokémon Center. See you tomorrow, Ashy," she said, waving at Ash and winking at him.

"See you later," Ash replied, hoping Serena wouldn't direct her glare at him. To his relief, she didn't. She waited until May was gone, and gave Ash a hug. "Thanks for not being angry with me," he said.

Serena pulled back, looking confused. "Why would I be angry?" She asked. "It was May who flirted with you, not the other way around."

"Well, I'm gonna head back to Cerulean City," Iris said, jumping back into the tree she'd jumped down from for the battle. "See ya at the contest, Ash. See ya there, Serena," she said, "and remember the advice I gave on making your Pokémon tougher."

"I will," Serena said, waving goodbye as Iris jumped through the trees. "She's … unusual," she observed.

"She's from the Village of Dragons," Ash explained. "It's a beautiful place, quite different from what most towns are. There are a lot of trees there. It's a wide open space."

"Sound beautiful," Serena said. She looked over at Sabrina. "You ever been there?" She asked.

"Nope," Sabrina replied. "I've never been outside this region, but I hope to change that someday." Serena nodded, and walked in the direction of the Pokémon Center, Suzy and Clemont joining them. Sabrina looked at the sky. "It _is_ getting late," she observed. "Good time for a date for a certain _unusual_ couple," she said, looking at Tsuyoi, hoping he would get that she wasn't talking about a date between the two of them. She loved Tsuyoi a lot, but the Saffron Incident had made her nervous about going out on a date with Tsuyoi. Both of them were wanted by Team Rocket, Tsuyoi for his role in an experiment, and her for being a Gym Leader of such a central city.

To her relief, Tsuyoi knew what she meant. "I know she's not overly enthused about the idea of the date, so for her sake, we should get it done as soon as we can," he said.

Sabrina nodded, and threw a Pokéball, saying, "Zoroark, come on out." Zoroark came out of his Pokéball.

"Rukario, it is time," Tsuyoi said as he threw his own Pokéball. As soon as Lucario came out, Tsuyoi gave her a Rawst Berry and a Sitrus Berry.

As soon as Lucario finished the Sitrus Berry, she looked over at Zoroark. _"So, it's time to get it over with,"_ she said.

"_S-s-s-so, w-what do you want to do?" _Zoroark asked nervously.

Lucario gave the question some thought. _"We could watch the sunset from a better spot,"_ she suggested.

"_I know the perfect spot,"_ Zoroark replied, eager to impress Lucario. He jumped into a tree. _"Follow me,"_ he said. Lucario jumped into the tree alongside him, and followed close behind him.

Sabrina looked at the two Pokémon jumping through the trees. She chuckled softly, and she turned to Tsuyoi. He had an unusual expression on his face, one that she'd never seen on him before. It was guilt. "What's wrong?"

Tsuyoi looked at her. _"[I have not been honest with you, Sabrina,]"_ he admitted in a Private Psychic Link.

"_[What do you mean?]"_ Sabrina asked, worried.

Tsuyoi looked to the side, sighed, and said, _"[I have not told you, or anyone else, the whole truth about my past involvement with Team Rocket.]"_

Sabrina shrugged. _"[You were, no offense, a naïve, power-hungry kid like I was,]"_ she replied somewhat casually. _"[That's it, right?]"_

Tsuyoi shook his head, an expression of regret on his face. _"[Oh, no. It was much worse than that,]"_ he replied. _"[I was very much a member of Team Rocket. Actually, at the time, I was a member of Giovanni's inner circle.]"_ Sabrina said nothing, but gave a "go on" gesture with an unreadable expression on her face. Tsuyoi continued, nervous and more than a touch fearful of what Sabrina would do when he told her. _"[I was only 11, the youngest member of Team Rocket, and the youngest of Giovanni's inner circle. I volunteered for an experiment known as Project M Prime. I was under the assumption that combining Mew's DNA with my own would grant me the seemingly unlimited power I sought, and with it, a higher position in Team Rocket: the boss position, itself. Oh, woe to me unbearable hours of tedium before I came to realize the reality of my situation. In accepting the power of a Pokémon, I had allowed myself to become something base in Giovanni's eyes; I was now but a slave to him. I decided I had had enough of a criminal existence, and used my abilities. Slowly, over the course of months, I channeled the powers of a Pokémon whose name I knew not then, and I still do not know its identity to this day. I know it only as some strange … blonde, blue-bodied Pokémon. Does that make any sense?]"_

"_[It does. Please continue,]"_ Sabrina replied, her expression still unreadable.

Tsuyoi nodded, and said, _"[I used that Pokémon's abilities to gradually wipe the minds of those who had seen me and knew about me. Even Giovanni had his mind wiped of all knowledge of my existence.]"_

"_[You gave him amnesia?]"_ Sabrina asked, sounding surprised.

Relieved at the show of emotion, Tsuyoi replied, _"[Oh, this was much deeper than amnesia. I completely wiped his mind of my existence, and only my existence. After I felt I had wiped enough minds, I Hypnotized a strange woman with long purple hair to release me, making sure to wipe her mind of the event. I hacked into the internal servers in the Team Rocket Prime Base, and deleted all I could about me, fearful at the time that if information were to remain about me, Team Rocket would regain its memories about me and come after me. I realized some time afterward that my mindwipe had been so deep, even a picture of me, my name, and my entire history being read would not jog the slightest memory of me ever existing. I was unable to wipe out all of the information about Project M Prime, but I made sure no information remained about me within the base when I left. I left my entry code, though, having a moment of premonition that I would need it in the future.]"_

"_[So that's how you broke into the Team Rocket base? An old password?]"_ Sabrina asked, surprised. Inwardly, though, she was quite impressed. Tsuyoi nodded. He was about to say more, but Sabrina smiled and gave him a kiss right on the lips. Tsuyoi felt her practically throwing Psychic messages into his mind: confusion, acceptance and understanding of the facts Tsuyoi had given her, and love for Tsuyoi that had not been reduced in any way. When Sabrina pulled away and opened her eyes, Tsuyoi had a look of surprise and confusion frozen on his face. Sabrina chuckled and told him, _"[I don't care about that anymore. If I had been given the same offers you'd been given, I probably would've taken them, too, but I wouldn't have realized my mistake until it was too late. Is that why Yveltal stayed with you, because of your dark past?]"_ She asked.

"_[Essentially,]"_ Tsuyoi replied. _"[Zeruneasu could've stayed with me because I was not letting my past drag me down, but there was a crisis in a forest that required his attention. He is obligated to remain free, but Iberutaru had no such problem. That's why Iberutaru stayed with me, and not Zeruneasu.]"_

"_[So, can you transform into any Pokémon?]" _Sabrina asked, curious.

Tsuyoi gave the question some thought. _"[I do not know,]"_ he replied honestly. _"[The only Pokémon whose formes I have assumed are that blonde, blue-bodied Pokémon and something akin to Mewtwo. If it weren't for Mewtwo, I wouldn't know what Mewtwo looks like, and I would've looked very different when chasing down Night-walker.]"_

"_[How different?]"_ Sabrina asked. In reply, Tsuyoi closed his eyes and his features became different. His skull began expanding upwards until it resembled the shape of Mewtwo's head, but instead of rounded points on either side of the back of his head, there were two sharp spikes, sharp as a Nidoking's horn. Three tube-like projections extended from his head, two to his shoulders and one directly between his shoulder blades. His arms were long and thin, his hands having cruel-looking black claws on the ends of his fingers. His body resembled that of Mewtwo, but his skin was a deep purple, almost black. There were multiple areas where the skin seemed to be closer to blue than purple. They almost looked like scars left behind by deep sores that had healed over. His tail was longer than Mewtwo's, and had a spiky club at the end. His feet were almost exactly like Mewtwo's, except for the presence of ridges on his toes and the backs of his feet. He was hunched over, as if aged. Once the transformation was complete, Tsuyoi opened his eyes. They were a brilliant red that seemed to glow with their own frightening light. "Oh, my," Sabrina said, deeply surprised.

Tsuyoi looked at her. _**"This is my original Mewtwo forme,"**_ he said. _**"I suppose you could call it Corrupted Shadow Mewtwo."**_ He closed his eyes and reverted back to his human forme, sighing in relief. _"[I possess incredibly great power as Corrupted Shadow Mewtwo, but it comes at a price. It is … power effectively at its most primal. I risk losing control of myself, despite my intensive Psychic training. I can use this forme when I wish, but I will only use it as a last resort. It would be too dangerous to do otherwise.]"_

Sabrina nodded, and gave him a hug. "I don't care," she said aloud. "I still love you. Now, how about giving me some hints as to what you'll be doing at the Contest?" She asked as she began turning to walk to the Pokémon Center, gently holding Tsuyoi's hand in her own.

"You have already been given enough hints," Tsuyoi replied with a smile. "You heard my Bangiras and Dākurai training."

"Oh, come on. Can't you give your girlfriend a hint?" Sabrina joked, giggling.

"My hair and temporary baldness goes with the theme," Tsuyoi replied as the two walked back to the city.

They were unaware of the fact that they'd been watched. In the shadow of the underbrush, a small, pinkish Pokémon with Mewtwo-like characteristics floated in the air, behind her a greenish fairy-like Pokémon capable of time travel. "[That human is strong, but that thing he turned into is s-scary,]" the pinkish Pokémon said, shivering slightly.

"[I've seen worse, Mew,]" the greenish fairy-like Pokémon replied in a soft, light voice, sounding like a human child. "[Much worse.]"

"[How so, Celebi?]" Mew asked. "[Did you FEEL how strong that thing was? It was like standing in front of that Dark Giratina thing! So much strong Aura! I was terrified!]"

"[You forget that I can travel through time,]" Celebi replied calmly, despite being terrified, herself. "[As terrifying as that Corrupted Shadow Mewtwo was, I have seen futures where Tsuyoi is an absolute monster, ruling as a monstrous dictator, killing any and all who opposed him, even his own family.]"

"[What about this Tsuyoi's current future?]" Mew asked, curious in spite of herself.

Celebi looked confused. "[I don't know. This one's future is too clouded for me to see. There are too many possibilities for me to discern the final end. It will play out as it will.]" Mew nodded, hoping that Tsuyoi wouldn't become a despicable monster. She teleported away, Celebi following her shortly after.

_**And so we bid farewell for now to Tsuyoi, former member of Team Rocket, and Sabrina, powerful former Gym Leader of Saffron City. Sabrina has proven to Tsuyoi that true love does not concentrate on the past, but enjoys the present moment the couple enjoys. Speaking of couples…**_

"So, is this a good spot?" Zoroark asked.

"Yes. This will do quite nicely," Lucario replied. "The sun will soon be done setting, but the stars will soon be out…"

**Sorry for taking so long to upload this chapter, faithful readers. I've been preoccupied with college and Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. Watching, not playing. In the games, Xerneas, Yveltal, Mew, and Celebi are genderless. Now, identification of the unknown characters. The strange purple-haired woman is Jessie. The blonde, blue-bodied Pokémon… I won't identify it by name, but I will offer a hint: it's known as a Lake Guardian. I used a line from a book titled ****The Screwtape Letter****, by C. S. Lewis. Pokémon Tennis is a sport featured in the Diamond/Pearl/Platinum chapter of the anime. Dawn competed in it using an Ambipom at one point.**

**Mew has the DNA of all Pokémon. Celebi is capable of time travel, which I assume means visiting alternate futures and pasts. Yveltal's Ability is Dark Aura, which raises the power of Dark-type moves. Xerneas has an Aura ability that raises the power of Fairy-type moves: Fairy Aura. Xerneas represents order, whereas Yveltal represents chaos. The two naturally cancel each other out.**

**Tsuyoi is an extremely strong Aura User, possibly due to the incorporation of Mew's DNA into his own. Corrupted Shadow Mewtwo is a reference to Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness, where some Pokémon are corrupted and turned into Shadow Pokémon. I wanted Tsuyoi to be very powerful, hence the Corrupted Shadow Mewtwo, but it comes at a price. Corrupted Shadow Mewtwo is constantly trying to hold back its urge to obliterate everything in its path with its incredible power. Also, Corrupted Shadow Mewtwo, despite his power, has a decrepit appearance. I'm assuming that the project responsible for creating Mewtwo took place over the course of many years, with multiple failures and successful attempts at creating a super-powered Mew. Corrupted Shadow Mewtwo has some of Mewtwo's genetic traits expressed, but other traits that are expressed are the claws of Zangoose, head spikes resembling that of Reverse World Giratina, skin with color resembling that of Crobat, and the tail of Tyranitar. The eyes are a reference to Shadow Lugia of Gale of Darkness. Basically, another name for Corrupted Shadow Mewtwo, due to the relatively ancient appearance, could be Primal Shadow Mewtwo.**

**It won't be long before the next chapter comes out. It'll contain ONLY Lucario's date with Zoroark. Nothing else. I don't want the date to be muddled or interrupted by other events. I owe you that much, faithful or new readers.**


	10. Starlight Past

**Welcome back! I'm so sorry to leave you all hanging like that. Long story short, I had finals for one semester, and had to prepare for the next semester. It's been a long time, but I have not forgotten my promise. This chapter will, in effect, be a filler chapter. It will exist solely for Zoroark's and Lucario's date, and so, will not have the standard starting or ending sequence the other chapters (excluding the teaser) had.**

**-Chapter 8: Starlight Past-**

They had been traveling for over 15 minutes, trying to find this spot Zoroark said was perfect for viewing the sunset. It was getting dark, though, by the time that the two Pokémon reached the spot Zoroark had found during their travels. _"So, is this a good spot?" _Zoroark asked.

"_Yes. This will do quite nicely," _Lucario replied._ "The sun will soon be done setting, but the stars will soon be out…"_

There was an awkward silence for a few minutes. _"I'm sorry that it took so long to get here,"_ Zoroark apologized.

Lucario shrugged. _"Truth be told, I prefer looking at the stars,"_ she replied casually. After a brief moment of silence, she continued. _"That was some battle, earlier."_

"_No kidding!" _Zoroark exclaimed loudly. Lucario glared at him, and he lowered his voice. _"I thought you were going to get cooked like a Tauros steak. What was he thinking?"_ He asked.

"_Tsuyoi?"_ Lucario asked. _"He trained alongside me in a volcano in the Sinnoh Region, where we'd met. There, we learned how to resist extremely high temperatures. That other trainer's Magmortar was only able to burn me because I had partially neglected my heat resistance training."_

Zoroark nodded. _"And the thing with your Bone Rush and that fire thing's Overheat?"_ He asked.

"_I actually had never heard Tsuyoi say that before,"_ Lucario replied, _"but I assumed that using Bone Rush on that Overheat was what he wanted."_

"_Sounds like you two are really close,"_ Zoroark said, curious.

"_We are," _Lucario replied, _"because he treats me as a friend, and the addition of your trainer and Ash and his friends has not reduced our friendship."_

"_Speaking of Tsuyoi, he's really cool. He's sooo strong,"_ Zoroark remarked. _"It must be awesome having a strong human like him as a friend."_

Lucario was silent, watching the first stars appearing in the dwindling sunset sky. _"It is not bad, but it is not 'awesome',"_ she said after a while.

"_What do you mean?"_ Zoroark asked, confused. He'd always thought that having great power made you awesome, cool, and hip.

"_Tsuyoi lives in fear of his own power every day,"_ Lucario replied grimly. _"He lives in dread of the possibility of his own power corrupting him. You have dealt with a human corrupted by his own power, correct?"_ She asked. Zoroark said nothing, but shuddered in dread at the thought of the man who'd kidnapped him. Taking that as a 'yes', Lucario continued. _"My friend has spent most of his time training to keep that power in check, but fearing that was not enough, he consulted my father, an Aura Shaman-"_

"_What's an Aura Shaman?"_ Zoroark asked, interrupting Lucario's sentence.

Lucario glared at Zoroark, but explained, _"An Aura Shaman is a being who is extremely powerful in Aura. There are four levels of Aura Users: Initiate, Acolyte, Master, and Shaman. A human can be any of these. Anyways, Tsuyoi came to my father, asking for help in controlling his strong Aura. My father, sensing his fear at the possibility of it negatively affecting his mind, gave him special metal bindings on his shoulders to suppress his Aura to a controllable level. This did not solve the problem like Tsuyoi wanted, but it put him on the right path. After the suppressors were placed, Tsuyoi began changing. It was a slow one, but I noticed that he was slowly growing less… grim. He's no ball of sunshine, but he's not as dark and bitter as he once was. He has hope, hope that things will improve."_

Zoroark looked at Lucario in wonder. _"So that's why you were able to withstand the heat in that battle earlier, and how you were able to beat my trainer by yourself,"_ he said. Lucario nodded, and the two sat there for a few hours, watching the stars as they appeared and shone in the sky.

After some time had passed, Lucario said, _"We should get back to our trainers. They must be worried."_ Zoroark nodded, and the two made the trek back to the Cerulean City Pokémon Center. To their surprise, Tsuyoi and Sabrina were waiting for them.

"_So, how was it?"_ Tsuyoi asked.

"_It wasn't bad,"_ Lucario replied, shrugging her shoulders.

Tsuyoi and Sabrina chuckled at Zoroark's surprised expression, and recalled their Pokémon. "Do you think Lucario has feelings for Zoroark?" Sabrina asked verbally.

"It wouldn't surprise me," Tsuyoi replied. "She said the date wasn't bad, so she's definitely warming up to him. We can't rush it, though."

Sabrina nodded in agreement, and the two retired to the Center's bedroom they'd rented for their friends.

**Sorry if it seemed a bit rushed at the end, but I just wanted this to be a filler chapter. I promise the next chapter will feature some Dov, some Fus, and just a dash of Ro Dah. Those who know Elder Scrolls will know the hints I give.**


	11. Friends, Fellowship, and Contests

**Drem Yol Lok (literally translates from Dragon as Peace/Fire/Sky). Greetings. Sorry for taking so long to upload a new chapter for Shagande Maindo, but I've been busy with college. It is not easy. Also, it was taking a long time for the tie-breaking vote on my poll for what Tsuyoi would do first round. One vote was cast for Generic Artist, but that was done via PM. The winning entry was … I won't tell you. Don't worry. You'll find out. The other entries will get their chance, but first, I have to acknowledge the reviewers:**

**Skynet115: I'm glad you liked the chapter, and I'm glad you caught the Elder Scrolls reference at the end of the last chapter. Tsuyoi won't be using the Dragon Tongue in this chapter, but it will be used in the Contest Exhibition Rounds (translations will be in parentheses).**

**Zippy 66: I'll do my best. Paragraphing has always been a bit of a problem for me.**

**FusionBase27A: I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter. I expanded the ranks of Aura users because I cannot believe that Aura Guardians don't have some ranking system. Perhaps Aura was more commonly used by humans in the past, requiring an established hierarchy. I'm glad SuperHeroTimeFan recommended you check out my fanfic.**

**Jacqueline Karst: Tsuyoi had a very rough past, and I touched on that a bit with Starlight Past. Tsuyoi had the suppressors placed under his skin so that they wouldn't be visible, but they can be broken in times of greatest need.**

**ninja of fallen Sakura: I'm glad you liked the chapter.**

**SuperHeroTimeFan: Thank you very much for sending the two friends you did. Their reviews were appreciated.**

**It is necessary that I acknowledge the reviewers. They are my most valuable asset. Without a reader, an author is nothing.**

**This chapter features one of my favorite songs from the game Sonic Adventure 2: Battle, titled "Throw It All Away". Go to this link: **** wiki/Throw_It_All_Away, and click on the video link to hear the song. It's almost 5 minutes long.**

**Now, at long last, the Journey continues!**

**-Chapter 11: Friends, Fellowship, and Contests-**

"…" Talking/Psychic conversation in flashback

_(…) __thoughts/flashbacks_

_[…] Private psychic link_

[…] Private psychic link during flashback

"[…]" Pokémon speaking

"[…]" Out-of-control Pokémon speaking

"…" _Psychic conversation_

_([…])_ Mewtwo and Tsuyoi's Mind-Link

"…" Black Mewtwo Tsuyoi speaking

"_{…}"_ Pokémon Translator

{…} Broadcast Psychic words

_**At long last, after an unbearable three days' waiting, the Contest Exhibition round is finally on, but not for all, for Ash and his friends have hit a rather unexpected bump in the road…**_

"I told you it wasn't a good idea to do that," Bonnie said as Nurse Joy looked at Ash's ankle before bandaging it.

"What were you trying to do, again?" Nurse Joy asked, curious. With the reputation Ash Ketchum had, one had to be prepared for anything and everything.

"I … tried to balance Pikachu on my foot," Ash confessed, scratching the back of his head and looking embarrassed.

Nurse Joy chuckled. "Maybe next time, make sure Pikachu doesn't eat so much ketchup," she replied.

"Or don't do anything like that again," Serena added. "You can't travel very well if you're constantly getting injured."

"Well, that's never stopped him before," a voice said from the doorway.

Everyone turned to see who it was, and Ash's face lit up in a smile of recognition. "BROCK!" He shouted happily, wincing and hobbling over to give his friend a hug.

Brock chuckled. "It's been a long time, Ash," he said as he escorted his friend back to the hospital bed. "So, what happened this time?" He asked.

"Ash tried to balance Pikachu on his foot as a part of a circus act thing he was trying for the Contest," Nurse Joy replied, wondering why Brock hadn't hit on her in a way that the Pewter City Gym Leader had been famous for.

Brock nodded. "So, how bad is it?" He asked.

"Well, for one thing, it wasn't very exciting," Bonnie replied. "What's so cool about putting a Pikachu on its head on top of your head?"

"I meant the injury to his ankle," Brock deadpanned.

"Oh," Bonnie replied. She looked at Nurse Joy, who replied, "He just needs to be off it for a few days, at least 3."

"That means he can't participate in the Contest," Clemont assumed.

Nurse Joy nodded. "Now just wait a minute, Ash," she said as she began to exit the room. "I need to go check on someone."

As soon as she left the room, Ash said, "Alright. Spill. What is it with you?"

"What do you mean?" Brock asked, puzzled.

"I think he means the fact that you haven't tried hitting on Nurse Joy," Sabrina replied. "I have been wondering about that, myself."

"I heard you hit on just about every woman you saw," Suzy said. "Why haven't you?"

"Well, for one thing," Brock began, "I'm not going to hit on a woman who already has a boyfriend, especially as powerful as he is," he added, looking at Tsuyoi, who gave a shrug. "Also," Brock continued, "I already have a girlfriend."

"You what?!" Everyone asked in anime-like synchronicity.

"Well, now I've seen everything," Tsuyoi remarked. "My sister falls in love with a scientist, Ash gets a girlfriend, and now you've got a girlfriend. All we need now is a Lucky Absol. Oh, wait. I already have one."

"You do?" Brock asked. "I thought that Absol was stereotypically unlucky."

Tsuyoi nodded and patted the Pokéball Absol was in. "She hasn't let me down yet," he said, "but enough of that. Who is your girlfriend?"

"Brock? Oh, there you are," a female voice said from the hallway. A light-skinned young woman entered the room, and Ash had a hard time recognizing her. She was wearing a sleeveless dark purple shirt that revealed her toned stomach, as opposed to the light purple one she usually wore. She had Seviper earrings, and her black hair was short, only going down to the bottom edges of her shoulder blades. What hadn't changed about her was the black pants and the belt that looked like part of a Seviper. Her hair had also not lost the red highlights that she'd had the last time Ash had seen her. "For a second, there, I thought you had gotten lost looking for Officer Jenny," the woman said.

"Don't joke like that, Lucy," Brock said as he walked over to the young woman. "You know you're the only one for me."

"She was joking?" Tsuyoi asked. Ignoring him, Lucy gave Brock a kiss on the lips.

It only took Sabrina a few moments to put the dots together. "So, you're Pike Queen Lucy," she said. "I'm surprised Brock fell for you."

"And what's that supposed to mean?" Lucy said as she pulled away from Brock's lips.

"You're harsh, uncouth, and quiet. Brock's kinder, gentler, and loud and boisterous," Sabrina replied shortly.

"What can I say? Opposites attract," Lucy replied. "At least I _have_ a boyfriend."

"Actually, I have one, too," Sabrina replied coolly, walking over to Tsuyoi, who gave her a gentle kiss on the cheek. "We're not exactly as opposite as you and Brock, but we're definitely a couple."

"What does 'opposites attract' mean?" Bonnie asked, confused.

"It means that people are usually attracted to those who are their opposites," Clemont replied. "An example of this would be a short, stocky, bold woman falling in love with a tall, thin, nervous guy. Or Seviper and Zangoose, or in this case, Brock and Lucy."

"Or Skitty and Wailord," Ash added.

"That's not 'opposites attract'. That's just plain weird on SO many levels," Lucy said.

"Definitely," Sabrina replied. "I never understood how that could end with both the Skitty and the Wailord being alive at the …end."

"What do you mean by 'end'?" Bonnie asked.

"I'll tell you when you're older," Clemont replied.

"Hmph," Bonnie pouted. "It's all they ever tell me. 'You'll learn when you're older.' 'I'll tell you when you're older.' I'm already old!"

"No, you're not," Tsuyoi replied. He showed her a picture of Professor Oak. "This man is old, and he's proud of it. You're not even old enough to officially have your own Pokémon yet. You are far from old. In fact, you are still young. Enjoy it while you can. It'll be gone before you know it," the Kalosian male added gravely. "Now, then," he said, turning back to the rest of the group, "if I'm not mistaken, the Contest Exhibition Round sign-in is in about fifteen minutes, so I'm heading back to the room to get changed."

He easily outpaced the others, getting into the room they shared. Barely a few minutes later, Tsuyoi walked out a changed person. He wore what was effectively the top portion of a toga for a shirt, which partially exposed his rather fit torso. He appeared to have long white hair coming from the back of his head, which was bald on the top. He wore white pants that covered down to his ankles and bare feet. "Wow," Sabrina said after doing a double-take. "You're so handsome." _(Wow. I can't believe it. I didn't even recognize him at first,)_ she thought in surprise.

Tsuyoi chuckled softly. "Thank you," he replied. "Can you guess what I'm doing for the first round?" He asked.

"Definitely," Sabrina replied. "I never thought you would do Street Fighter, though."

Tsuyoi smiled. "The name of the game is disguise," he stated. "If Team Rocket's got members there, I don't want us to be recognized."

_[I thought you wiped their minds,]_ Sabrina replied, switching to a Private Psychic Link.

_[When I was preparing to break out of there, I only made it so that they would never recognize me as Project M Prime. I never made it so that they would _never_ recognize me as a troublemaker if I gave them trouble in the future,]_ Tsuyoi explained. "So, you ready for the Contest?" He asked out loud.

"Just give me a minute to change. See you at the Contest Hall," Sabrina said as she disappeared into the room.

Tsuyoi nodded, and walked out of the Pokémon Center toward the Contest Hall in the center of the city. Walking through the door, he went to the front desk. "Aishīhāto Al," he said, giving the pseudonym he usually used.

The check-in woman checked on her tablet for the pseudonym and nodded. "Welcome to the Contest, Mr. Al," the woman said, allowing Tsuyoi to move into the Contest Hall's waiting rooms.

-Back at the Pokémon Center-

"…And you're sure about this?" Paul asked.

"I'm quite sure," Nurse Joy replied. "This test was specifically designed for people."

Paul nodded. "I've already had the necessary talk with her mother, so I know I can do what needs to be done," he said. He walked into the room where Nurse Joy had been. Dawn was getting off the examination table when Paul walked in. "Hey, there," Paul said softly.

Dawn smiled bashfully at him. "H-hello," she replied back, blushing deeply. There was an awkward silence in the room. "So, Nurse Joy told you?" She asked nervously.

Paul nodded, and got down on one knee. "She did, and so, I feel it's the right time to ask you a question." He pulled out a small black box from his pocket and opened it, revealing a diamond ring with pearls around the diamond, the ring itself being made of platinum. "Dawn Berlitz, will you marry me?" He asked.

Dawn tackled him to the ground and kissed him right on the lips. "Of course, I'll marry you, you dense lug," she said excitedly. "Ooh! I can't wait to tell my mom!" She said happily, but the happiness disappeared abruptly, replaced by nervousness. "Wait. Does my mom know?" She asked.

"She only knows that I intended to propose to you," Paul replied. "How far in are you? You're not showing, at all," he asked.

Dawn flushed. "Nurse Joy said I'm just two weeks in," she replied, somewhat embarrassed, although she was happy that her mom had already given permission for the proposal. "There's still plenty of time for us to get the Contest done, and then get back to Sinnoh for the wedding before the baby arrives."

"Baby?" Brock asked, standing in the doorway.

Dawn jumped into the air with a light squeak. "How long were you standing there?" Paul asked, protectively stepping in front of Dawn.

"Dude. I only was here long enough to hear something about a baby on the way," Brock replied, raising his hands in surrender.

Paul nodded, and was about to speak, but Dawn spoke for him. "Paul proposed to me and I'm having a baby in nine months," she said quickly.

It took Brock a moment for the reality to sink in. "Wow," he replied eloquently. "Does your mom know?" He asked Dawn.

"Not yet. It's all happened so suddenly," Dawn replied.

"My parents will be glad I'm getting married," Paul replied. "They've seen how I've mellowed with Dawn, and I think they would've badgered me about marrying Dawn if I had called them more often. I would've married Dawn regardless of whether or not we had a kid on the way."

Brock smiled. "Hope I can go to the wedding," he said. "Just make sure you tell your parents I'm not going to hit on anyone there."

"I'm sure they will be most relieved," Dawn replied sarcastically.

Brock laughed. "Oh, Paul. I never knew your voice could go that high," he joked, causing Paul and Dawn to laugh out loud, causing Brock to continue laughing. "We'd better …. hahaha … get to the Contest Hall," Brock said, trying to stop laughing.

"We should," Dawn replied, giggling happily. "I can't wait until we get married," she said to Paul, who gave her a kiss that made her knees feel weak.

"Alright, alright, you lovebirds," Brock said. "I'm heading to the Hall. Don't get distracted."

"Distracted? Me?" Paul asked in a flat tone. "How can I get distracted?"

"Do you want your list in chronological, or alphabetical?" Dawn joked.

-At the Cerulean Contest Hall, 30 minutes later-

"Ladies and gentlemen! Welcome to the 1st annual Cerulean City Pokémon Contest!" The announcer shouted excitedly. First up, we have 3 rounds of exhibition, where the trainers and their Pokémon will be cosplaying as various characters and figures great and famous! This is sure to be an exciting event! Now, please welcome our first participant, Aka Tosh!"

A young man walked onto the stage. He was wearing a simple brown robe, and wore sandals. "Alduin, come on out!" He shouted as he picked a Pokéball off his sash.

The Pokéball opened, and out of it came a black-colored Salamence that appeared to have jagged marks added onto the edges of its wings. "I am Al-Du-In, firstborn of Akatosh," the Salamence proclaimed loudly in a voice that sounded suspiciously similar to Aka Tosh. The Salamence looked at Aka Tosh and growled, "I will not serve."

"Then you leave me no choice," Aka Tosh said. He picked another Pokéball off his sash. "I summon the Dovahkiin!" He shouted.

In the waiting room, Tsuyoi silently rolled his eyes. _(You don't summon the Dovahkiin. He's born when the world needs him,)_ he thought.

The Pokéball opened up, revealing an Exploud that appeared to be wearing an armor suit made out of large bones. "Joor Zah Frul!" The Exploud Shouted. A blue burst of light came out of the Exploud's mouth, impacting the black-painted Salamence as it landed.

"Nivahriin joorre (cowardly mortals)! What have you done?" The Salamence growled. "What kind of twisted words have you created?! Tahrodiis Paarthurnax (Treacherous Paarthurnax)! My teeth to his neck!"

The audience was suddenly distracted by Exploud's pained groaning and rolling on the ground. Whatever material the blue flash had been made of had caused small burns on Exploud's mouth. In a panic, Aka Tosh withdrew the Exploud, and withdrew the Salamence after it chuckled darkly. "Well, that didn't go too well," the first judge said.

"I agree. It was most definitely NOT remarkable," the second judge replied.

"Obviously this trainer made a poor choice in the flash powder he used to create the flash of blue light," Nurse Joy added. "Hopefully, next time Mr. Tosh tries this, he will use powder that won't cause a reaction resulting in a burn."

"Up next, Mr. Aishīhāto Al!" The announcer shouted, hoping to put that unfortunate incident behind them.

The people watched in surprise as a simply garbed old-looking man walked into the arena, flanked by a Tyranitar wearing a black martial arts robe and a necklace with rather large beads on his left, and on his right, a Darkrai wearing a white martial arts suit and red fingerless fighting gloves. The Tyranitar had on its left wrist a bracer that held some Tyranitarite. Both Pokémon wore wigs, but the wigs were so realistic that the judges had to remind themselves that these Pokémon didn't normally have hair (A/N: That's not hair on Darkrai's head, I don't think). The three made their way to the center of the arena. As soon as they made it, the Tyranitar squared off against the Darkrai. _"{Feel the pain of the Satsui no Hado!}"_ The Tyranitar growled in Akuma's voice.

"_{I will surpass the Satsui no Hado!}"_ The Darkrai replied in Ryu's voice.

"Battle begin!" The old-looking, toga-wearing man shouted.

Immediately, the two Pokémon charged toward each other, the Tyranitar displaying unusual agility as it dodged some of the smaller Hadoken blasts directed against it. As soon as it reached the Darkrai, he began fending off a barrage of punches and kicks that would've impressed the real Ryu. After narrowly dodging a punch, the Tyranitar threw a punch of his own that launched the smaller Pokémon back. _"{You still need more training,}"_ the Tyranitar growled.

"_{I'm not down, yet,}"_ Darkrai countered as it charged an energy beam in its hands, as if it were getting ready for a Kamehameha Wave attack. _"{Metsu HADOOOOKKKEEEEN!}" _Darkrai shouted as it shot a bluish Hyper Beam from its hands.

Tyranitar dodged the attack, and Mega-evolved, its hair glowing a bluish-white. _"{I shall grind beneath my heel ALL that exists!}"_ Tyranitar growled. It charged up a beam attack just like Darkrai had done, but the beam that came out of its hands was a dark purple. The beam appeared to hit Darkrai, who crumpled to the ground. _"{Fade away into nothingness,}"_ Tyranitar growled.

"The winner!" The old-looking man proclaimed, holding Tyranitar's hand high.

Darkrai got to his feet. _"{Perhaps I still need more training, but next time, I will not lose!}" _He proclaimed. The trainer recalled his Pokémon and walked off to the waiting room.

"That was an impressive display of agility on the part of that Tyranitar," the first judge mused.

"And don't forget the costumes, and the Hyper Beam coming out of their hands instead of their mouths, especially with that Tyranitar. That was truly remarkable!" The second judge exclaimed.

"This clearly shows that Mr. Al put a lot of time into doing this, and he trained his Pokémon really well. I almost thought Darkrai actually got hit with that Hyper Beam," Nurse Joy said, surprised. "I think he might be an actor trying to go incognito," the pink-haired woman added, causing rumors to swirl through the air. Many thought him to be the Unovan actor/Gym Leader Brycen in disguise, while others supposed him to be the guy rumored to be dating Champion Diantha in the Kalos Region.

"Up next, Dawn Berlitz and Paul Shinji!" The announcer cried.

The audience turned to see a young couple walking out of the waiting room. The guy was wearing a suit, the woman wearing a white blouse and blue dress that went down to her knees. They appeared to be in an argument. "Andre would whup your butt in a fight!" Dawn said to Paul.

"I disagree," Paul replied. "My Jaime would beat your Andre any day!"

"I have an idea," Dawn said. "Let's settle it here and now. Andre, let's go!" She said, throwing a Pokéball into the air. Fire billowed out from within the ball, and when it cleared, there was a Typhlosion wearing a red luchador's outfit that covered everything but its neck and feet, its face covered by a mask that revealed its eyes, chin, and ears.

"Let's show her we're stronger, Jaime!" Paul said, throwing his own Pokéball into the air. There was a brilliant blue flash, and with a loud roar, an Ursaring appeared. It wore its own blue luchador costume, which was almost the same as Typhlosion's, except for the fact that the mask covered the Hibernator Pokémon's ears.

"Alright! First to push their opponent out of the ring wins!" Dawn said.

In the ring in the center of the Contest arena, the Typhlosion and Ursaring squared off as if they were doing Pokémon Sumo. Suddenly, the two dashed forward toward each other, both trying to get low so that they could get the advantage. Typhlosion ducked lower, though, and the two clashed, each trying to push the other back. The two fought against each other, neither giving an inch. Slowly but surely, though, the Typhlosion pushed the Ursaring back, pushing him out of the ring. "The winner is Andre!" Paul said, surprised. "You tried hard, Jaime," he said to his Ursaring.

"Great job, Andre!" Dawn said excitedly to her Typhlosion. She turned to Paul and smiled at him. "You were great, too," she added, giving him a quick kiss on the lips, making them both blush as they and their Pokémon walked out of the arena to the waiting room.

"That was quite an unusual match," the first judge remarked.

"I certainly didn't expect a Pokémon Sumo Battle. Remarkable!" The second judge replied almost predictably.

"It certainly shows that Dawn and Paul have experienced different cultures in their travels and added them into their Contest strategies," Nurse Joy added. "They're certainly the couple to watch in this Contest!"

The rest of the first Exhibition round went by pretty fast. May attempted to do a Transformers-themed Round by having Blaziken shift its costume to look like it was turning into the car forme of Bumblebee, but the costume buckled at the knees and almost fell apart. May didn't panic, though, and kept going with her act, which included Blaziken's hands appearing to turn into guns that shot blasts of Flamethrower. "She recovered pretty well from that problem with Blaziken's costume," Sabrina noted.

"She might be eliminated, though," Lucy noted. "Half the trainers will be eliminated by the time the Exhibition Rounds are over, and we both know that 'Aka Tosh' will likely be eliminated for that gaff with the flash powder and his panic. Definitely not good for someone trying to cosplay Auri-El. You do know that's just another name for Akatosh, right?" Lucy asked, causing Sabrina to roll her eyes.

Iris went with a leotard that looked like a blue one-piece swimsuit on her that had the appearance of shorts on the lower half. Axew was dressed with a loincloth, just like Tarzan. The two swung in on fake vines hanging from the ceiling, easily sticking the landing. Iris had even imitated Tarzan's signature call perfectly, down to the vocal tone, impressing the judges with her acrobatic skills by jumping from vine to vine, never slipping despite the fact that she'd never swung on anything but real vines and trees, before.

Clemont tried to cosplay as a Scientist, with Suzy as his assistant, but it didn't go well. Bonnie's Dedenne was too excited and accidentally badly shocked Suzy, causing Clemont to take her to the Pokémon Center to make sure she was okay. After a few minutes, Clemont and Suzy returned with the news that Suzy was perfectly fine, but she would have to sit down and rest for a few minutes. She would still be able to participate in the Contest.

Sabrina cosplayed as an old priestess using a Bronzong to bring rain to a parched landscape, whereas Lucy cosplayed in a different direction, as a malevolent woman using a Mamoswine to bring down a great Blizzard.

After the first Round was over, the three trainers that were eliminated were Aka Tosh and Suzy and Clemont. "Round 2!" The announcer shouted after 30 minutes' intermission. "First up, Aishīhāto Al!"

The crowd cheered excitedly in anticipation as Tsuyoi walked out from the waiting room, but the cheering quickly turned to murmuring as they noticed his costume. He wore a white smock over a light brown shirt and brown pants, had a beret on his head, and was carrying an easel under his left arm, his right hand holding a paint brush and color wheel of paints. "Never seen a beret, before?" Tsuyoi asked casually, causing the audience to laugh. He walked to the middle of the arena and set the easel down. "Now, who shall be my first subject?" He wondered out loud, pacing for a few moments before an idea struck him. "I've got it! Darkrai, come on out!" He shouted. The ball opened, releasing a deep darkness that enveloped the audience for a moment.

When the darkness cleared, Darkrai was crouched down low, appearing as if he were trying to push something or someone back. "That's perfect! Hold that pose," Tsuyoi said as he made careful strokes on the paper like only a Psychic trainer could. After a minute had gone by, Tsuyoi turned the painting toward the audience, and they were surprised by what they saw. The painting showed two Darkrai of different sizes fighting each other. The smaller one was gold in color, with green eyes, having humanoid legs, complete with knees and bare humanlike feet. The larger Darkrai appeared to have saliva dripping from its fangs. Its eyes were a brilliant, nightmarish red, and its back had spikes like a Gengar. Its skin was dusky pale, and it had short black hair sticking out from the back of its head. The two were wrestling each other, trying to determine who was stronger.

"Now, I will explain the painting," Tsuyoi said. "The larger Darkrai symbolizes the stereotype everyone has about Darkrai: dark, vicious. The Boogeyman. The smaller Darkrai symbolizes the side of Darkrai that no one ever sees: kind, brave, vigilant, capable of heroism against overwhelming odds." He recalled Darkrai, and gently put the painting off to the side. "Tyranitar, come on out!" He said. With a brilliant, lightsaber-green flash, the Tyranitar came out of its Pokéball. Tsuyoi walked around the Tyranitar, pondering what to do. After a few moments, he smiled. "I've got the perfect portrait for you," he said, walking back to his easel. This painting took longer than the first one, but the judges knew that they would be treated to quite the sight. They were right.

After three minutes, Tsuyoi revealed the painting to the audience. This painting showed a Tyranitar in a gardener's outfit (A/N: look up the Black/White depiction of the Pokémon Breeder. Tyranitar's wearing the male variant) taking care of a Iapapa Berry garden, as evidenced by the basket partially cropped out of the painting. "I will explain this painting as well," Tsuyoi said after recalling Tyranitar. "Tyranitar is not a mindless beast all too willing to destroy everything with its strength," he explained. "Tyranitar is more than that, as I have observed. It is an intelligent Pokémon capable of learning multiple tasks, such as taking care of a berry garden." He bowed, picked up his easel and paintings, and went back to the waiting room after recalling Tyranitar.

"I have to say, I appreciate the fact that Mr. Al didn't try to do a fake French accent," the first judge said.

"And the detail on those paintings he did for us. Simply remarkable!" The second judge added.

"It shows that Mr. Al knows all sides of his Pokémon very, very well, and that he knows art fairly well, also," Nurse Joy said, impressed.

Iris successfully imitated several Pokémon cries of various pitches, including that of Emolga, who flew out of her Pokéball and executed several backflips and aileron rolls, finishing off with an impressive Discharge/Tackle barrel roll that made her fly from the ceiling of the Contest arena down to Iris, landing lightly on her shoulder. Dawn and Paul cosplayed as a young couple, Dawn wearing an all-blue variation of her normal clothing, and Paul wearing an all-red variant of his normal clothing. They used Magmortar and Empoleon. "Empoleon, use Aqua Jet!" Dawn ordered.

"Use Flare Blitz!" Paul added. The two Pokémon charged forward, Empoleon coated in water and Magmortar coated in flames. The two flew around each other, the two attacks spiraling around each other like smoke trails coming from stunt planes.

"Fuse!" The two trainers shouted. Hearing their trainers, Empoleon extended its right fin, Magmortar extending its left hand. The two made contact, and their attacks fused together to become reddish-blue steam. "Take to the skies!" Empoleon and Magmortar shot upward, using the force from their respective attacks to fly with ease. Midair, they canceled out their attacks, and for an impossible moment, the two seemed to float fifteen feet above the ground before crashing down to the ground, coated in Giga Impact. When the dust cleared, the two Pokémon were standing back to back, managing to look casual while maintaining an appearance of professionalism.

"Now, THAT was an exhibition!" The first judge said.

"And those combos. They seemed to contradict each other in Type, but they flowed together beautifully. Remarkable!" The second replied.

"This time, they let the Pokémon moves do the talking, instead of the costumes. They displayed confidence in their Pokémon, and that confidence was clearly reciprocated. They are a very impressive couple," Nurse Joy noted.

Lucy played the part of a beautiful island maiden, using Milotic's Aqua Ring to make her special water-sensitive earrings glow, bathing her face in a gentle blue glow. Brock was so distracted by the memory of the image that he messed and accidentally froze Nurse Joy's hair with Ludicolo's Ice Beam. Sabrina cosplayed as a dark blue garbed ninja, Zoroark showing its ability to assume the appearances of different people, which Sabrina said were "Ninja Abilities". May attempted to have Beautifly and Glaceon combine their Silver Wind and Hail attacks, respectively, to create an interesting visual effect, but Beautifly got a wing injury from a piece of Hail hitting it wrong.

Serena played the part of a chef cooking Poffins, with her Fennekin playing the role of her helpful assistant. At the end of the second Exhibition Round, the three eliminated trainers were May, Brock, and a sketchy kid who cosplayed as Harley.

"Up next is the final Exhibition Round! May our remaining Trainers pull out all the stops and create displays that will truly blow our minds!" The announcer shouted.

Serena was about to go to get herself ready for the final round when a familiar voice stopped her. "Hey, Serena?"

Serena turned around and saw May standing there. "Hey," the Kalosian girl replied.

"I've been thinking," May began.

"And?" Serena asked, wondering just where the conversation was going.

"It's kinda stupid for us to be fighting over Ash," May said. "No good guy's gonna like it if two girls fight over him."

"I've been thinking about that, too," Serena admitted.

"Then we agree on something," May replied. "If Ash's happy, I'm happy. Can you do that for me?"

"Of course," Serena replied.

"I'm sure Ash will be relieved to hear that," May said. "I've never seen him so nervous before."

"I will let him know, myself," a voice said behind them.

Serena jumped in surprise. She was about to ask who he was, but then she recognized him. "Wow," she said. "I didn't think you could change so quickly."

"It's a gift," Tsuyoi explained. He had on a blue suit, a white undershirt, red tie, blue pants, and tan brown shoes. His hair was back to its normal appearance, including the bald spot in the middle of the top of his head. "I'll go and tell Ash before intermission is done," he said. He turned and left the room. It wasn't too long before he got to the area where they were selling snacks. Predictably, Ash was there. "I have good news for you, Ash," Tsuyoi said.

Ash jumped in surprise, wincing as he almost landed on his bad ankle, which he would've if it had not been for his crutches. "Don't scare me like that," he said. "So, what is this good news?"

Leaning in close, Tsuyoi whispered in Ash's ear, "You're safe. They're not fighting over you, now."

"Who was fighting over me?" Ash asked. Tsuyoi gave him a deadpan look, and Ash realized what he meant. "Oh. That's a relief," he replied.

"Indeed," Tsuyoi said. "They said along the lines of 'no good guy's gonna like it if two girls fight over him'." Ash nodded, and was about to reply, but Tsuyoi said, "I'm sorry to interrupt, but I've got to get ready for the final round."

"Okay," Ash replied. Something came to his mind. "What about Sabrina and Lucy?" He asked.

"I think it's just something between the two of them," Tsuyoi replied. "It's not over me." He walked back to the waiting room, and waited his turn.

"The third and final Exhibition Round of the Contest begins now! Up first, the astounding, breakout trainer known as Aishīhāto Al!" The announcer shouted, much to the enthusiastic cheering of the audience.

Tsuyoi strode forward, and the crowd immediately fell silent. "Shadow, dim the lights," he said simply as he threw a Pokéball into the air.

Darkrai came out of it, and it had an interesting outfit. It appeared to have shoes on the ends of its legs, its head plume was colored red, and on its wrists, it had red-and-black wristbands that appeared to have a large gold ring in the middle of each one, running around the wrist. _"{Chaos Void!}"_ The Pitch-Black Pokémon said. Multiple Dark Voids shot out of its hands, covering up the lights.

There was a sound of two more Pokéballs being opened, and suddenly, Tsuyoi said in a soft, calm voice, "Throw it all away."

The stadium immediately resounded with an electrical-sounding techno tune that Sabrina immediately recognized. "So that's why Shadow looked that way," she thought.

As the audience sat there in the dark, wondering what was going on, one of the Dark Voids folded slightly, revealing a caped, legless figure with three-fingered hands and three eyes. From that figure, a telepathic voice said, {Now, wake up, up, up, up...

Now, wake up, up, up, up...

Now, wake up, up, up, up...

Now, wake up, up, up, up...}

More Dark Voids folded and unfolded at random intervals, revealing the Shadow-like Darkrai and a red-colored Tyranitar. The two began battling, further illuminated by a ball of Psychic energy filled with electricity that erupted from the ball at random intervals, providing an impressive electrical effect. The telepathic song and voice continued:

{Everybody tries to be straight,

But things are still unchanged.

It's useless to resist

Their effort will be wasted.

Head straight for your goal by any means

There is a door that you've never opened.

There is a window with the view you have never seen

Get there, no matter how long it takes!}

Tsuyoi chimed in with: "Oh dark the darkness that dozes in the dusk

Throw it all away!

No one can break you, nobody can tear you

You live an endless life forever.

Oh dark, the darkness that dozes in the dusk

Throw it all away!

You see a light wherever you go

You have to face it again and again (and again and again)."

"Wow. Your boyfriend's an excellent singer," Lucy admitted to Sabrina.

Sabrina nodded, saying nothing as she listened to the song. She couldn't help but smile as she thought, _(Sometimes, I can't believe this guy is my boyfriend.)_

Tsuyoi took a break, and the voice continued, taking a break as Tsuyoi sang the chorus:

{Now, wake up, up, up, up...

Now wake up, up, up, up...

Now, wake up, up, up, up...}

"Oh dark the darkness that dozes in the dusk

Throw it all away!

No one can break you, nobody can tear you

You live an endless life forever.

Oh dark the darkness that dozes in the dusk

Throw it all away!

You see a light wherever you go

You have to face it again and again.

You live an endless life forever

Forever…"

{Now wake up, up, up, up...}

"Oh dark, the darkness that dozes in the dusk

Throw it all away!

No one can break you, nobody can tear you

You live an endless life forever

Oh dark the darkness that dozes in the dusk

Throw it all away!

You see a light wherever you go

You have to face it again and again!

Oh dark the darkness that dozes in the dusk

Throw it all away!

No one can break you, nobody can tear you

You live an endless life forever.

Oh dark the darkness that dozes in the dusk

Throw it all away!

You see a light wherever you go

You have to face it again and again!"

With a final guitar riff, the song ended. The Dark Voids faded away, revealing Tsuyoi, Darkrai cosplaying as Shadow the Hedgehog, Tyranitar cosplaying as Knuckles, and a mystery Pokémon cosplaying as an alien warlord named Black Doom. The four took their bows, and Tsuyoi left the stage after recalling his Pokémon. "Mr. Al certainly did NOT disappoint," the first judge said.

"Those costumes of his certainly do not disappoint. Once again, they were accurately done, taking into account the body types of the Pokémon he used. Truly remarkable!" The second remarked.

"He may have used the same two Pokémon multiple times in a row, but every time they appeared, it was like seeing a new Pokémon for the first time. And that mystery Pokémon we saw. Whatever it is, it's a sure sign that Mr. Al put a lot of effort in raising it. Bravo, Mr. Al!"

Paul and Dawn dressed up as an old couple, complete with fake wrinkles and white wigs. Dawn's Empoleon and Paul's Torterra had faked age props as well, with Torterra's back-tree having white-colored leaves instead of the usual verdant green. Serena attempted to do a song like Tsuyoi had done, but she found that singing wasn't one of her strong suits. Sabrina dressed up in a Zangoose costume, which Tsuyoi assumed was a veiled jab at Lucy, who had a Seviper. To counter, Lucy dressed up as a Seviper, combining her Seviper's Flamethrower and Milotic's Hydro Pump to cover the arena in steam. When the steam cleared, Lucy was tossed into the air by Seviper's tail, landing easily on Milotic's head.

Unlike the previous two matches, only two people were eliminated: Serena and Misty's older sister Violet, who had attempted to use her Starmie to create an ice skating rink. "And now, the Battle Rounds!" The announcer shouted. "Each battle will be comprised of two randomly selected teams fighting against each other. Once three teams had been eliminated, the two remaining trainers will battle it out for the 1st Cerulean City Contest Ribbon, the CascadeRibbon," she added, showing the azure blue CascadeRibbon resting in a case on a podium. "And now, here are the teams! Please direct your attention to the screen."

The teams were as follows: Sabrina and Lucy, Iris and Trip, Tsuyoi and Zoey, and Paul and Dawn. Not everyone was happy. "What?! Why am I teamed up with her?!" Sabrina and Lucy said at the same time.

Dawn was happy that she would continue fighting alongside Paul, and Tsuyoi knew from Ash that Zoey was a trustworthy woman. She was no stranger to Contests, so she would be able to help him out in the battles. Iris was very happy that she'd been paired up with her boyfriend. She was even more glad that Aka Tosh and that sketchy kid dressed up like a Cacturne was eliminated. "There's no way we can lose!" She said happily to Trip. Trip wasn't so certain about the Contest, but he knew that Iris had a LOT of spirit, and that spirit was more than enough to overcome just about any obstacle.

Lucy narrowed her eyes at Sabrina. "Looks like we're gonna be working together again," she said.

"Just like old times," Sabrina agreed. "Well, for our boyfriends' sakes, we better work together. I know Tsuyoi wouldn't like it if we fought."

"And I know for a fact that Brock doesn't like women fighting at all," Lucy replied. Thus, the two made an agreement to be nice to each other, at least for the duration of the Contest.

"And now, a brief intermission!" The announcer said, interrupting their thoughts. "After one hour passes, the Battle Rounds begin! If you do not report back to the Contest Building by then, you WILL be forced to forfeit your respective match!"

"Best not be late," Tsuyoi remarked to Zoey. "Hopefully Sabrina and Lucy will resist the urge to tear each other to pieces in that time."

"I wouldn't worry about them," Zoey replied. "I heard them agreeing to be nice to each other for the rest of the Contest. Apparently, Brock enjoys women fighting as much as you do."

Tsuyoi nodded. "And so, it begins…"

_**And so, we bid a brief farewell to our heroes as they ready themselves for the Contest. They had better watch out, though, for there is darkness on the horizon…**_

"And furthermore, failure will NOT be tolerated any further," Giovanni said as he addressed every member of Team Rocket. "If you so much as fail once on a mission, you WILL be imprisoned indefinitely. Fail me one too many times, and you can ask Mewtwo what the price of failure is," the boss threatened darkly, ending the message.

"_And what of this figure?" _Night-walker asked, showing Giovanni a picture of Corrupted Shadow Mewtwo Tsuyoi.

"It appears to be an inferior version of Mewtwo," Giovanni decided. "I will think about what his fate will be. Now, leave me." Night-walker bowed and left the room. Once the room was empty, Giovanni called a particular number on his Xtransceiver. "How well did I do, Master?" He asked.

"_You did excellently,"_ Dark Giratina said over the Xtransceiver. _"Your underlings won't dare fail you now."_

"What of Cyrus, Ghetsis, and Lysandre?" Giovanni asked.

"_If they oppose my vision, a world enshrouded in darkness, destroy them. Leave no trace,"_ the Dark aspect growled.

"And what of this figure?" Giovanni asked, showing him a picture of Corrupted Shadow Mewtwo Tsuyoi just after the mysterious figure had opened his eyes.

For a while, Dark Giratina was silent, carefully looking over the figure. _"It would appear that a rival group has successfully reverse-engineered a Mewtwo-like being, so there's no point in taking them alive. Destroy the thing, and all who associate with it."_

"It will be done, Master," Giovanni said, bowing.

"_Good. You are dismissed," _Dark Giratina said, ending the Xtransceiver call.

Giovanni exited the room, not knowing that his secure call line had been hacked by Lysandre. The Kalosian crime boss was less than pleased to hear that his ally would betray him. _(This will not stand,)_ the Team Flare Boss thought. He looked at footage from the Contest Exhibition Rounds. The figure named Aishīhāto Al looked a lot like Tsuyoi. _(As much as I hate that kid, if I am to survive, he is my best shot at survival. Cyrus won't need a lot of convincing to join me in my little secret rebellion against that dark fiend.)_ He thought briefly about Ghetsis, but quickly came to the conclusion that the man would not side with him, and instead would tell Giovanni, in big red letters, no less, that he was betrayed. _(The man would eagerly embrace the opportunity to damn the world to eternal darkness, end what he calls the Tyranny of the Sun.)_ Now, all that remained was contacting Cyrus in a way that would not raise any red flags…

**Again, I'm terribly sorry for taking so long to upload this new chapter, but this college semester has been nothing short of tedious, sleep-deprived mathematical work. Makes me glad there's such a thing as coffee and Mountain Dew. NEVER, under any circumstances, drink them together. Trust me on this one. It won't work well.**

**SuperHeroTimeFan has reminded me that the second season of Young Justice, which ended three years ago, took place in this very year: 2016. I have updated my profile page accordingly, and I would like to advise you all to check out SuperHeroTimeFan's fanfics Path of the Padawan, and its sequel, Journey of the Knight. Remember, be traught. After all, no one's just "whelmed."**

**I have uploaded a new poll to my profile page. I would appreciate it if you, dear reader, would vote on it. It's a poll for a possible Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim fanfic that has a dash of Pokémon to it. Two people have already voted, and once four more people vote, I will begin work on the next chapter of Shagande Maindo.**


	12. Fight! For the Victory!

**Hello, there. Glad to see all of you. Thank you all SO much for all the views and reviews. As of recently, Shagande Maindo has surpassed Dead To Emotion, Alive To Vengeance as my top fanfic in term of views. To show you my gratitude, I decided to release the latest chapter of Shagande Maindo early. First, I will acknowledge the reviewers:**

**SuperHeroTimeFan (reviewed by PM): I'm glad you liked my acknowledgement. You sent a couple people to check out Shagande Maindo, so I told people to check out your fanfics. Consider it my way of saying "thanks" for the recommendations.**

**ninja of fallen Sakura: I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter, especially Tsuyoi's final Exhibition. I worked very hard on that part, trying to translate what was on my mind to written word.**

**Now, the Battle rounds have started. Who will win? Who will lose? Better read on to find out, for the Journey continues now!**

**-Chapter 12: Fight! For The Victory!-**

"…" Talking/Psychic conversation in flashback

_(…) __thoughts/flashbacks_

_[…] Private psychic link_

_**[…] Dark Giratina Private psychic link**_

[…] Private psychic link during flashback

"[…]" Pokémon speaking

"[…]" Out-of-control Pokémon speaking

"…" _Psychic conversation_

_([…])_ Mewtwo and Tsuyoi's Mind-Link

_**([…]) Tsuyoi and Mewtwo speaking in unison**_

"…" Black Mewtwo Tsuyoi speaking

"_{…}"_ Pokémon Translator

_**When last we left Ash and his friends, they were taking part in the first ever Cerulean City Pokémon Contest, competing for the newly made CascadeRibbon. The Exhibition Rounds have ended, meaning that it's time for the Battle Rounds, which promise to be the most exciting part of the Contest…**_

"And now, it's time for the first Contest Battle Round!" The announcer shouted. "In the red corner, we have Zoey and Aishīhāto Al!" The crowd cheered loudly as Tsuyoi and Zoey walked out onto the battlefield. Zoey was no stranger to Contest Battles, and even though Tsuyoi wasn't so familiar with Contests and the noise they produced, he was ready to battle whoever his team's opponents were. "And in the blue corner, we have Lucy and Sabrina!" The announcer added.

Everyone cheered, except for Tsuyoi, who simply clapped. He was less than enthusiastic about fighting his girlfriend, and he could tell Sabrina was thinking the same thing. She had a deep frown on her face, and Tsuyoi had the same look on his face. Zoey noticed the look between them. "Why's she looking at you like that?" She asked.

Before Tsuyoi could reply, "Don't go easy on me just because I'm your girlfriend," Sabrina said, giving Tsuyoi a wink.

Tsuyoi smiled back, blushing slightly. "I wouldn't do that. That would be flat-out insulting a fine woman," he replied, firing back his own wink.

Zoey looked at the resulting blush on Sabrina's face, and she realized why Tsuyoi and Sabrina were so unhappy to be fighting each other. _(They're in love, like Paul and Dawn are,)_ she thought. Dawn had already told her about her pregnancy and eventual marriage to Paul. She hoped that Tsuyoi and Sabrina would take it slow, but then again, so did Dawn and Paul. They had known each other for 3 or 4 years before dating.

"Let the battle begin!" The announcer cried.

"Gallade, let's go!" Zoey shouted as she threw her Pokéball, which opened with a brilliant red/orange light.

Gallade came out of the Pokéball ready for battle. _"I am ready for battle," _he said telepathically.

"Abusoru, you are needed," Tsuyoi said.

The Pokéball opened up, showering the immediate area with black flames. When they dissipated, Absol was standing next to Gallade, eyes glowing blue. _"Let's do this," _she said.

"Latios, come on out," Sabrina said as she threw her own Pokéball. There was a flash of blue light, and Latios came out, levitating in front of its trainer.

The area was bathed in an aquamarine glow as Lucy called out her Milotic. The trainers backed up a little, and then the time started. "Latios, use Dragon Pulse!" Sabrina ordered.

Latios shot an orange-colored beam from its hands at the opposing team. "Milotic, use Ice Beam!" Lucy ordered. A bluish-white beam shot out of Milotic's mouth, headed straight for the opposing team.

"Reflect it!" Zoey shouted.

"Mirror Counter!" Tsuyoi added. Gallade put its hands together and brought them apart, creating a layer of Psychic protection that held back the Ice Beam, although it cracked when the Dragon Pulse hit.

"That's gonna hurt," the announcer said as some points were deducted from Gallade.

"We're not done yet," Tsuyoi said. "Abusoru, unleash!"

Absol jumped between Gallade and the cracked Psychic barrier and unleashed a powerful Dark Pulse that passed through the Psychic, and then came out the other side incredibly large, visually amplified by the Psychic shield. "Oh, crud," Lucy said.

"Latios, use Protect," Sabrina ordered. Latios flew in front of Milotic and used Protect. The Dark Pulse hit the shield with an incredible amount of force, almost enough to crack the Protect shield.

"Wow. Now, that's a counter," the first judge said.

"Milotic, use Hydro Pump on Absol," Lucy said. She had nothing against Tsuyoi, personally, but she knew that Tsuyoi was a danger to her Milotic.

"Electric Aspect!" Zoey and Tsuyoi shouted at the same time. Absol shot a Thunder from her horn, and Gallade used his Psychic to hold the Thunder in place, quickly changing it to have the exact same shape as Absol. The Hydro Pump hit the Electric Aspect directly. It didn't fade, and an electrical burst flowed from it into the Hydro Pump, shocking Milotic.

"Wow!" Nurse Joy said as Milotic's points were lowered. "That was an impressive counter!"

"That's not all," Zoey said. "Electric Aspect, use Volt Tackle!" Zoey and Tsuyoi shouted at the same time.

The Electric Aspect charged forward, coating itself in a bullet-like shell of electricity contributed by Absol. "Frost Aspect!" Lucy and Sabrina said at the same time. Milotic used Ice Beam, which was captured and turned into a spherical shape by Latios' Psychic. "Use Rollout!" The two trainers shouted. The Frost Aspect, bearing a strong resemblance to an Electrode, rolled forward toward the Electric Aspect. The two Aspects crashed together, destroying one another and releasing a brilliant, electrically charged aurora that filled the battleground. The judges and audience waited for the electrical aurora to clear, and when it did, they saw that Milotic and Gallade had been knocked out, leaving only Absol and Latios standing. _(Wow! I can't believe it,)_ Sabrina thought. _(I thought I was done for, there. Looks like Tsuyoi and I are tougher than I thought. His Absol's in bad shape, though. I've got no choice. It's all or nothing!)_ "Latios, use Giga Impact!" Sabrina shouted. Latios charged forward, coated in a purple energy bubble. The attack never connected, though. Tsuyoi recalled Absol, surprising everyone. "What?" Sabrina asked, wondering why Tsuyoi had done that.

"There would be no point in continuing the battle," Tsuyoi said. "Absol barely had enough energy left to stand, much less use attacks. Sabrina, I know this isn't the way you wanted to win, but I simply cannot allow my Pokémon to continue. I hope you understand."

"I understand," Sabrina said softly, feeling conflicted about her 'victory'. Tsuyoi gave an understanding nod and walked away to take his Pokémon to the Pokémon Center. He knew that Sabrina felt happy because she won a Contest Battle, but she also felt bad for fighting against her boyfriend.

Lucy noted the unhappy look on Sabrina's face. "Cheer up," she said. "He'll be back." Sabrina nodded, but said nothing.

"I was a bit disappointed by Mr. Al's forfeiting the match," the first judge said.

"I agree. That was most definitely a letdown," the second judge said.

"Mr. Al clearly knows how to read his Pokémon very well, and I have to agree with his judgement," Nurse Joy rebutted. "That Absol couldn't have moved another step even if it had Mega Evolved. Mr. Al could have decided to force Absol to continue battling, but he made the decision that was best for his Pokémon, and I believe that's the reason why he withdrew from the battle."

"Good luck to both of you," Zoey said to Sabrina and Lucy, "and no fighting amongst each other," she added, recalling her own Pokémon and leaving the arena.

"Let the next battle commence!" The announcer shouted. "In the red corner, we have Iris and Trip!" The crowd cheered as Trip and Iris walked out. Iris was a bit nervous about actually competing in a Pokémon tournament, but she had gotten this far. She couldn't afford to back down now. "In the blue corner, we have the power couple Paul and Dawn!" The announcer shouted. Paul and Dawn walked out onto the battlefield, looking quite confident. Dawn was a great battler, and Paul was considered by many in the Sinnoh Region to be Gym Leader material. "Trainers, call out your Pokémon."

"Torterra, stand by for battle!" Paul shouted as he threw his Pokéball, which opened up with a verdant green light.

"[Let's go!]" Torterra said.

"Empoleon, let's go!" Dawn shouted. Her Pokéball showered the arena with a grey and blue light.

"[Your defeat is near!]" Empoleon said with confidence.

"Serperior, let's go!" Trip said, his Pokéball emitting the same light as Paul's, but with a leaf pattern spiraling through the air. The snake-like Grass Type stared at his opponents, saying nothing.

"Dragonite, let's go!" Iris shouted, her Pokéball emitting a blue-and-red light.

"[Your defeat is near!]" Dragonite shouted.

"Battle begin!"

"Torterra, use Sandstorm!" Paul shouted. Torterra unleashed a current of sand that hid his team in a protective vortex.

"Use Powder Snow!" Dawn said. Hidden in the sandstorm, Empoleon shot blasts of snow from his mouth, quickly changing the color of the whirlwind from brown to a brilliant icy blue/white.

"Very impressive," the second judge remarked.

"Use Sunny Day!" Trip ordered.

"And Flamethrower!" Iris added.

Serperior's body glowed, and the glow flowed upwards, simulating enhanced sunlight. An enhanced Flamethrower shot from Dragonite's mouth, directly impacting the IceStorm, causing a large cloud of smoke and dust. When the dust cleared, Iris and Trip were strongly surprised by what had happened. The IceStorm was undamaged, causing the judges to deduct some points from Iris and Trip. A small hole opened in the vortex. "Use Thunder!" Iris shouted, eager to seize the opportunity.

"Not going to happen," Dawn said confidently as Empoleon dodged out of the way. A Vine Whip shot forward, catching the Thunder.

"WHAT?!" Everyone asked, surprised.

"Torterra is part Ground, so Electric has no effect on it," Paul explained. "Consider it his version of the ability Lightning Rod."

"Use Blizzard," Dawn said. Empoleon shot an intense blast of snow out of his mouth into the IceStorm, transforming the IceStorm into a massive FrozenVortex, completely immune to the effects of Sunny Day. Dawn and Paul both frowned slightly. Holding the Sandstorm under control was an incredible drain for Torterra, and keeping the Blizzard from spiraling out of control was tough for even Empoleon to do. "Expand!" Paul and Dawn shouted at the same time. The FrozenVortex expanded, completely engulfing Serperior and Dragonite.

"Oh no!" Iris cried. "Dragonite can't do a thing in that!"

"Serperior, use Hyper Beam!" Trip shouted. The order was never carried out. The FrozenVortex faded away, revealing a tired Empoleon and Torterra, as well as a completely frozen and knocked out Dragonite and Serperior.

Everyone was surprised, including Paul and Dawn. "Did we ever work on it at that power level?" Dawn asked Paul.

"I don't think we did," Paul admitted, "not with Blizzard. Ice Beam, perhaps, but never Blizzard."

"Serperior and Dragonite are unable to battle! Winner is Empoleon and Torterra, which means that the winners of this match are Dawn and Paul!" The announcer shouted.

"That was an incredible match," the first judge remarked as the four trainers left the battle arena.

"I've actually seen some of Dawn's Sinnoh Contest matches," the second judge said. "She's incorporated strategies that she's seen other trainers use. Truly remarkable!"

"I have to say, I'm thoroughly impressed with the power of their Pokémon," Nurse Joy added. "Holding a Sandstorm for so long has to be tiring, although Empoleon controlling its Blizzard attack might've helped relieve Torterra of some of that burden. Bravo, Paul and Dawn! Bravo!"

Tsuyoi smiled, having watched the battle from the Contest waiting room, sitting next to Sabrina. "Their power is impressive," Tsuyoi said. "I know that if I got into a battle with them together or one-on-one, I would have a very tough battle on my hands."

Sabrina nodded. "You're definitely right," she said. "I just wish our battle could've gone different. I guess we just don't know our own strength." Tsuyoi nodded. Suddenly, he winced slightly. "Something wrong?" Sabrina asked, concerned.

_[Someone's trying to communicate with me,]_ Tsuyoi replied telepathically to Sabrina. _[Who is this?]_ He asked the person trying to communicate with him.

_[It's been a long time, kid,]_ a familiar voice replied.

Tsuyoi managed to hide his displeasure. _[Lysandre. Why have you contacted me? I am very sure that the last time we met, I made it VERY clear that I was not interested in joining your team.]_

_[This is a lot more important than that,]_ Lysandre replied. _[There is a message you must hear before Giovanni finds me and shuts down this Link.]_

_[Make it quick, then,] _Tsuyoi replied shortly. He was interested by this turn of events. Last he'd heard, Lysandre and Giovanni had been allies.

_[Giovanni's changed. He's no longer interested in simple world domination. He wants to plunge the world into darkness, eternal darkness in which his master, Dark Giratina, will rule the world. Eventually, Dark Giratina plans to rule the universe,]_ Lysandre replied.

Tsuyoi knew he wasn't lying. Lysandre wasn't the type to lie when it came to dangerous situations, and this Dark Giratina sounded exceptionally dangerous. _[Who else is on Giovanni's side?]_ He asked.

_[Ghetsis and what remains of Team Plasma, and Cyrus and what remains of Team Galactic,]_ Lysandre replied solemnly. Tsuyoi frowned deeply, which was transmitted through the Psychic Link. _[Do you know them?]_ Lysandre asked.

_[I have fought against Ghetsis and his minions before,]_ Tsuyoi replied grimly as he felt another presence drawing near. _[Something's trying to spy on our Link, and it's not human.]_

_**[That would be me!]**_ A deep, dark voice boomed in Tsuyoi's mind. Suddenly, Tsuyoi's mind was transported to a deep, dark place. He could see nothing except for light reflecting off stones that floated through the air. To his left, he sensed an attack, which he dodged with ease. _**[So, this is the mighty Tsuyoi I have heard so much about!]**_ The voice shouted again as its owner strode forward. Tsuyoi was only mildly surprised. This new enemy had the forme of a human, but Tsuyoi knew that there was nothing human about this figure. It was fully Pokémon. It had what appeared to be a red-and-gold mask and completely grey skin. Six tentacle-like projections jutted from its arms, giving it a menacing look. The feet of the figure were completely missing, sharp golden spikes being at the ends of its legs. _**[Giovanni is more useless than I thought. He was unable to keep someone like you contained, and you're weak,]**_ the figure growled.

_[Forgive me if I do not look terrified,]_ Tsuyoi replied sarcastically. _[Who are you?]_

_**[Soon, the whole world will know my name, when I am King of all,]**_ the figure replied. _**[I am Dark Giratina, your nemesis and eventual ender.]**_

A massive Psychic blast smashed into Tsuyoi, causing him to collapse in real life. _[Tsuyoi, are you alright?]_ Sabrina asked, visibly panicking.

_[I am fine. Our enemy caught me by surprise, that's all,]_ Tsuyoi replied. He switched back to Lysandre. _[Are you still there?]_

_[I am, but I must get moving, soon. If Dark Giratina hacked into our Psychic Link, he likely knows where I am,]_ Lysandre said.

Tsuyoi secretly called out his Darkrai and gave him a telepathic order. The Nightmare Pokémon disappeared into a Spacial Rend (Editor's note: Darkrai can have Roar of Time and Spacial Rend as Event Moves). _[I have dispatched an agent to move you to a safe place. I cannot make any promises as far as the police go.]_

_[It does not matter. If the world falls to Dark Giratina, we are all as good as dead because I betrayed him and you refused to stand with him,]_ Lysandre replied.

_[We have something that Dark Giratina's minions do not have,]_ Tsuyoi replied.

_[What exactly do you mean?]_ Lysandre asked, wondering what their advantage was.

_[Unless I am mistaken, you and I have the belief that to run from Dark Giratina would be to run away from life itself, and thus, I am willing to lay my life down so that the world is safe and my friend Mewtwo can be free once again,]_ Tsuyoi replied.

_[You are right. I share your belief that there is no hope in running from Dark Giratina,]_ Lysandre replied. _[There is something I am still wondering about, though. Why exactly are you helping me? You certainly have no reason to,]_ the Kalosian crime boss said.

_[That is where you are wrong,]_ Tsuyoi replied. _[I know our past is less than ideal, but we have a common enemy, and common enemies have a tendency to cause otherwise hostile people to unite as allies. Just look at the example of the Magmortians and Aquarites. They were as opposite as the Legendary Pokémon Kyogre and Groudon, always trying to blot each other out from the record of history, but when a flood of Shadow Gengars attempted to attack, the two formerly antagonistic civilizations joined forces and defeated the Gengars with the help of Kyogre, Groudon, and Rayquaza. If two sworn enemies can join forces for years on end and attack common foes, surely your allies and my friends can join forces for a short amount of time.]_

_[Perhaps, considering Cyrus may stand with us against Giovanni, but are you certain? Dark Giratina is more powerful than any Pokémon in our home dimension. Even Mega Rayquaza would be unable to defeat him,]_ Lysandre interjected.

_[Alone, perhaps, but if Mega Rayquaza were part of a group, nothing save the Seven Originals and their Master would be able to stand against him,]_ Tsuyoi rebutted. _[Giratina may be one of the Seven Originals, but as much as he tries to hide it, Shadow Giratina is little more than a shadow of his former self. He is but a small aspect of the greater being that is the Renegade Pokémon Giratina.]_

_[Do you know this for certain?]_ Lysandre asked.

_[I do not,]_ Tsuyoi admitted, _[but I know that when I got hit by that Psychic blast, it felt … subdued. Partial. That gives me the idea that Dark Giratina might be an aspect of the true Giratina that has broken free and gained its own life.]_ There was silence on the other end. _[Hello?]_ Tsuyoi asked.

_[Lysandre is safe,]_ another voice said.

_[That is a relief, Dākurai,]_ Tsuyoi replied, ending the Psychic Link. He felt more than a bit drained by the effort of keeping the link active. He turned to Sabrina. _[We have a new ally,]_ he said to her. _[A Kalosian crime boss. He has made no requests concerning asylum, aside from asylum from an enemy who seeks to plunge the world into eternal darkness.]_

Sabrina nodded, looking very worried. _[You missed my match against Paul and Dawn,]_ she said. _[Lucy and I lost badly, but it wasn't because we were fighting each other. It was because Paul and Dawn knew how to counter our attacks and pull off impressive combos. At least now that you're back, you can watch the match between Paul and Dawn. They don't look it, but they're less enthused about fighting each other than we were.]_

Tsuyoi nodded. "Something's going to happen," he said as he stealthily recalled Darkrai. "We must be ready."

Sabrina frowned. "My strongest Pokémon took a heavy beating in the battle. Latios is still recovering from our battle, and Alakazam and Zoroark were defeated in the match."

Tsuyoi nodded grimly. "I still have a few aces up my sleeves," he said, "and you know of them."

Sabrina wondered what he meant, but when he gave her a "you and I share a secret" wink, she remembered his "aces". "Battle begin!" The announcer said on-screen.

"Typhlosion, use Flamethrower!" Dawn ordered. A stream of flames shot out of Typhlosion's mouth.

"Use Bulk Up!" Paul ordered. Ursaring automatically dodged the Flamethrower as its power and endurance rose.

Suddenly, the ceiling exploded, showering the arena with shards of glass and steel. There was instant panic, broken by an amplified "BOW BEFORE YOUR MASTERS, TEAM DARKNESS ABSOLUTE!"

Tsuyoi glared at the screen. He stood up and strode toward the arena. _**([And so it begins…])**_

**To be continued…**


	13. Leave The Darkness Behind

**And now, the continuation of Shagande Maindo…**

**-Chapter 13: Leave the Darkness Behind-**

"Kneel," Giovanni's voice boomed as the people randomly milled around in panic. The Team Darkness Eternal boss was frustrated that no one was listening to him "I said KNEEL!" He shouted. This time, his order was obeyed as everyone knelt, except for the Darkness Eternal goons. Giovanni strode forward, noting the revulsion people had toward him. He had lost his hair, his skin was partially wrinkled, and his suit appeared to be made of pure darkness. "Is this not your natural state?" He asked. "As much as you try to deny it, you crave subjugation. Servitude." He paused for a moment, and added, "In the end, you will always kneel."

After a few moments of silence, Paul stood up, defiance glowing in his eyes. "Not to men like you," he said.

Everyone turned to him, including Giovanni. "There are no men like me," he replied.

"There are ALWAYS men like you," Paul sharply rebutted.

Giovanni smirked as Night-walker moved toward Paul. "Look to your champion, people," he said as Night-walker readied a Hyper Beam. "Let him serve as an example."

Night-walker unleashed the Hyper Beam, but a Psychic blast knocked the Hyper Beam backwards. Someone jumped in front of Paul, seized Night-walker by the neck, and threw him toward Giovanni, who casually dodged the oncoming Deoxys clone. "The last time I saw a man standing up above everyone, we disagreed," the figure said.

Giovanni growled softly. "The troublemaker," he said.

"That I am," Tsuyoi replied calmly. His eyes glowed, and his Pokéballs levitated into the air and opened up, revealing Absol, Salamence, Darkrai, Lucario, and two Pokémon that surprised Giovanni: Yveltal and Deoxys. He turned and shot a pinkish beam from his hand to Absol. From her location in the waiting room, Sabrina realized that was a Heal Pulse. "My friends, keep these people safe. I have old business to conclude."

Night-walker tried to shot a Shadow Ball volley at the distracted Tsuyoi, but he was blinded by a Signal Beam from Absol. The two began fighting each other. Giovanni looked at his goons. "Show this punk what happens when you mess with Eternal Darkness," he ordered. The goons ran forward, using specially designed gauntlets to shoot Thunderbolts at Tsuyoi.

"No," Tsuyoi said, dodging the Thunderbolts. He raised one open hand and made a brushing motion, removing the gauntlets from the goons. "I believe the term is 'denied'," he quipped, dodging an Ice Beam attack from several Gengars. He growled softly. He knew that he had to reveal his Corrupted Shadow Mewtwo forme, but he couldn't battle effectively within a building. "Let's take this outside," he quipped. He closed his eyes as he felt his forme shifting. He felt his back shift slightly, forcing him to lean forward. The claws coming from his fingertips always caused him some pain, and the formation of the shoulder tubes usually didn't hurt, but hurrying his transformation caused him great pain. After a few moments, he heard a shocked gasp erupt from everyone in the room, including Giovanni. "I am Tsuyoi Kokoro, possessor of the might of Mewtwo, Friend of Yveltal, and boyfriend of the Gym Leader Sabrina," he said, causing Sabrina to blush in the waiting room, "and you and your kind are not welcome here, Giovanni."

"Get the freak!" Giovanni shouted, and all the Eternal Darkness goons began directing their Pokémon to attack Tsuyoi in his Corrupted Shadow Mewtwo forme, but the superhuman trainer blocked their attacks by directing them upward through the ruined ceiling. "Night-walker, end him!" Giovanni ordered.

"_My pleasure,"_ Night-walker said with a telepathic smirk as he walked forward, shifting to Speed Forme. _"You caught me off guard last time, freak, but this time, I have the upper hand,"_ he added as he created a Psycho Boost and infused it with a Hyper Beam, throwing the potent projectile at Tsuyoi.

"What about the upper claw?" Tsuyoi quipped. Charging his fist with electricity, he slugged the Hyper Boost upwards. Suddenly, he was surrounded by a whirlwind. He knew that it was Night-walker using ExtremeSpeed to run at high speeds around him. He smirked and said, "A guy like you couldn't even defeat a Pidgey." He raised his hands, and blasted a strong Flamethrower from both hands, badly burning Night-walker and forcing him to halt the attack. The burned Deoxys clone tried to use Hyper Beam, but a stronger Hyper Beam from Corrupted Shadow Mewtwo knocked him out. "As for you," he said, walking toward Giovanni, "we have a lot of catching up to do."

Giovanni turned tail and ran. Tsuyoi didn't follow him, but instead turned around and began attacking the Eternal Darkness goons. They were quickly defeated by a force led by Sabrina and Lucy. "The old times were nothing like this," Lucy said.

Before Sabrina could reply, a figure stumbled through the door. His clothes were tattered, but there was no doubt who it was. "Oh, my goodness. It's Lance," Sabrina said as she ran forward, helping the wounded Indigo League Champion into the protective circle formed by the people. "What happened out there?" She asked.

"We were overrun by Dark Giratina's force," Lance panted. "We tried, but there's no way he can be defeated, not unless we can break through into the Reverse World." He looked at Corrupted Shadow Mewtwo and added, "Maybe you could break through the defenses, old friend."

"I am not Mewtwo," Tsuyoi replied, "but I will break through Dark Giratina's defenses." He paused for a moment to look at Sabrina. "Until we meet again," he said as he telekinetically flew out of the arena, leaving behind a very shocked crowd.

"_Do not worry," _Deoxys said to the crowd. _"My trainer will soon return."_

As he flew through the sky, Tsuyoi thought _(I hope I can keep my promise.)_ Multiple Honchcrow and Mismagius flew toward him, trying to hit him with Shadow Balls and Dark Pulses. Many of the attacks hit, but Tsuyoi shrugged them off, replying with a volley of his own Shadow Balls. A Dusknoir attempted to cut him off, but a Phantom Force from Tsuyoi knocked it out of the sky. "GIRATINA!" Tsuyoi shouted as he shot through the portal in the sky.

"_I have been expecting you, fool. You idiot! Behold the oblivion of death!"_ Dark Giratina shouted as he shot forward, using Shadow Force to disappear.

Tsuyoi looked around, trying to sense his opponent's location. _([There's no point in trying to figure out where he is. This is his home, and he can go anywhere he pleases and take us apart at his leisure,])_ Mewtwo said to Tsuyoi.

Suddenly, Dark Giratina reappeared and stabbed Tsuyoi in the back with a Stone Edge. Tsuyoi pitched forward, but regained himself. He tried to counterattack, but Dark Giratina vanished from sight with Shadow Force. _"Do you really think that you can defeat me?"_ The Dark Renegade asked. _"Even the original Giratina couldn't defeat me, and this is his home!"_

"I have something Giratina did not: a willingness to lay down my own life so that the world and Mewtwo can be free," Tsuyoi rebutted, "and I haven't even unleashed my full power yet!" He added as he grabbed the Stone Edge blade and smashed his left shoulder with it. He groaned as he felt the pain of the bones breaking, but he could also feel the suppressor break. He did the same to his right shoulder, and winced as he felt the bones healing. He felt his power level skyrocket to incredible levels that he never knew he could have and still live. _([I'm going to use this battle to drain off the excess Aura that has built up. The suppressors are broken, but I can at least blow off some steam, so to speak, while I wait for them to reform,])_ he said to Mewtwo.

_([Good luck, my friend,])_ Mewtwo replied.

Tsuyoi nodded, and winced as Giratina hit him full in the eyes with a Dark Pulse, temporarily blinding him. _"Give it up! You cannot defeat what you cannot see!"_ Dark Giratina shouted.

"I need not my eyes to see," Tsuyoi replied. He calmed himself, and searched for Dark Giratina's Aura signature. Initially, there was nothing. The entire Reverse World was saturated with the original Giratina's essence. Suddenly, off to his right, there was a burst of energy that did not mesh with that of the Reverse World. Reacting almost reflexively, Tsuyoi released a beam of Aura at the area. A shout of outrage and pain told him that he had hit his target. The energy burst faded away again, and Tsuyoi stood, waiting for the next attack. He did not have to wait long. This time, a storm of Hyper Beams shot through the space. Tsuyoi jumped back, dodging the attacks, but a Hyper Beam hit him in the chest, knocking him down.

"_You are weak," _Dark Giratina growled. _"With you gone, I can take my rightful place as ruler of the world, and soon, I shall be lord of all. Space and Time will be mine to command! None shall dare to question my rule!"_ He lifted his hand, opening a portal to the Pokémon world. _"Citizens of the world, let this man serve as an example of what happens when you weaklings defy me!"_

He was about to say more, but he felt an uncomfortable surge of heat sink into his back. He tried to turn around, but before he could, the energy ripped through him, completely disintegrating him. "You made a mistake, Dark Giratina," Tsuyoi said, changing back to his normal forme. "It was a simple mistake, but it was a big one. You REALLY pissed me off." As soon as his eyes cleared, he was thrown backward. Dark Giratina's power had been released upon his death, and that power had to go somewhere, so it flew at Tsuyoi, who reflexively absorbed it. His skin turned a light gray, his hair turning a golden color. His eyes remained the same red they had always been, and his injuries rapidly healed themselves.

The now super-powered Tsuyoi realized that the eyes of the entire Pokémon world were upon him. Now was the time to tell the people. "Citizens of the world," he began, "Dark Giratina attempted to rule this world through coercion and tyranny. I assure you, I have no such aspirations. I will not rule the Pokémon World. I will be the ruler and sole inhabitant of this strange realm, the Reverse World, until its rightful ruler returns. Once that day comes, I will relinquish my power, but until then, I must remain here so that the Reverse World may remain stable, and in so doing, maintain the stability of the Pokémon World. I am sorry that I cannot return right now, my friends, but I promise you. I will return soon…" He said as the portal closed.

**Epilogue**

In the weeks to come, Team Plasma's remnants were hunted down and arrested for crimes against humanity. Team Rocket, otherwise known as Team Eternal Darkness or Team Volkihar, suffered the same fate, for the most part. Many Team Rocket members had risen up against their former teammates, and among this number were Jessie, James, and Meowth. Team Flare's remnants were given amnesty as thanks for services rendered in restraining the Eternal Darkness. Team Galactic, after months of legal debate, had amnesty granted to the members who had been imprisoned, but the members still on the run were not extended the same amnesty, which Cyrus approved. "I have preserved the world I once tried to destroy. I can only hope that someday I can atone for what I did in the past."

"For what it's worth," Sinnoh League Champion Cynthia said, "I think your actions definitely helped the process of Redemption start."

Sabrina returned to Saffron City and helped to rebuild the city. As much as she tried to hide it, everyone knew that she just wasn't the same without Tsuyoi. She had been tasked by the Elite Four with the task of caring for Tsuyoi's Pokémon, and she made sure to keep care of them, believing that Tsuyoi would return soon. As the weeks turned into months, and the months into two years, Sabrina began to become depressed. No one suggested a psychologist. They all knew that she was waiting for Tsuyoi. However, she began to branch out more, realizing that shutting herself away from everything wouldn't help her recover from what had happened, including Tsuyoi's departure to the Reverse World. She was present when Paul and Dawn got married, and served as the maid of honor when Ash and Serena got married. Misty was there, but had arrived in Hearthome City too late to be the maid of honor, which she had been selected as, initially. Eventually, after three years of waiting, news came in that made the now 20-year-old Sabrina literally leap for joy. Someone with telepathic abilities and golden hair had been spotted in the nearby park. Not bothering to comb her hair, Sabrina sprinted to the park. To her joy, there was a figure with golden blonde hair standing near a park bench. Sabrina ran up to the figure, but stopped, worried that she was mistaken, that she had the wrong guy. The figure turned around, and Sabrina immediately tackled him to the ground, peppering his face with kisses. "I'm so happy to see you again," she said, crying happy tears. Suddenly, she noticed that his hair had faded away to a light brown. "What happened?" She asked.

"Giratina returned, and I gave him his power, just as I promised the world 5 months ago," the figure replied.

"And Mewtwo?" Sabrina asked.

"Released from living in this plane of reality," the man responded. "He had been with me long enough to see you saved and Giovanni put in a mental institution. His work was done, and so, he was at peace. He wished to be released, and so I did." He wiped the tears out of her eyes, and Sabrina immediately kissed her on the lips. They held the kiss for a good five minutes before breaking it. "Did I ever tell you that you look beautiful when your hair's a mess?" The man asked.

"Welcome back, Tsuyoi Kokoro…"

**And so, it ends. A rule of terror ended by the selfless courage of Tsuyoi Kokoro. I would love to thank all the reviewers, User or Guest, for all your support, suggestions, and patience. Agent BM doesn't count. He posted what essentially was a spam, and was permanently blocked for it.**

**I used a couple JoJo's Bizarre Adventures references in this chapter, but the beginning was an Avengers reference. I tried to make sure the violence wasn't over the top, especially the Tsuyoi/Dark Giratina fight. Yes, Tsuyoi has returned to the Pokémon World to stay. He will not wander any more, looking for the next battle. Being with Mewtwo and Sabrina has shown him that fighting is not everything.**

**Two chapters in one day. I haven't done that since Dead To Emotion. Again, I would like to ask those who haven't to vote on my poll. It will be open until May 2, 12:00 PM Eastern Standard Time.**

**Once again, thank you, all of your viewers and reviewers. You are the reason why I write my fanfics. Without you, I would just be a guy wasting his time. You are what makes authorship on this site worthwhile.**

**Did anyone notice that 'redemption' was capitalized? It has significance. Want to know what? PM me, and I'll tell you. Until the next time, this is Darkest Nightmare's Dread, signing off.**


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